A Knight's Princess
by R.Nekei
Summary: [ON HIATUS]Set in AU where two hearts that are meant together been separate for long enough to cause troubles to others. Take place in nice and cozy Otonokizaka Kingdom.
1. Chapter 1

_italic- flashback/thinking_

**Disclaimer: I do not own Love Live**

_**A Knight's Princess**_

_Sound of waves, a linking arms, a strand of purple hair, a cute happy smile...and those attractive turquoise eyes._

A hammering and never ending ringing of the cheapest alarm clock jolts me from the Neverland. As I reaching to stop the annoying sound, somehow a taste of saltiness invade the corner of my mouth. Sweeping the wet spot on my eyes with both my calloused yet strong hands. The dream that I vividly remember managed to make a pool in my eyes. I whispered silently...

"Who are you?"

**CHAPTER 1: Happy...Or Surprise Reunion.**

In far-far away, away from the crowded city, standing tall a big palace called Otonokizaka Palace. The kingdom gained their stable economical standing by their famous tailoring, producing a good and quality clothes. Today the palace as busier as usual, however it is for different ocassion.

"...-sama."

"...otori-sama..."

'Kotori-sama!"

"Wake up, Kotori-sama! How can a birthday girl is lazily around when everybody is working hard for your party" whine a blue-hair archer to the young mistress of the palace.

"Ugh...You should wish me first Umi-chan~" The princess said as her delicate hand swipe her greyish hair that cover her eyes with a sweet smile.

Catching off guard by the smile, the blue archer blushed all the way to her ears.

"Happy birthday, Kotori-sama. May this year be a wonderful year for you both in health and wealth."

"Ja...lets start by taking off that little -sama thingy."

"B-But!"

"Umi-chan~ You promised~"

Defeated by the cute puppy eyes, Umi can't refuse anymore and agree. "Okay, Kotori. Just because there only two of us here."

"No!"

"Ehhhh...?"

"For the whole day, today!"

"H-Hai...Your wish is my command" answer Umi without any refutation this time.

"Yeay!" Kotori now is brimming with happiness.

"Now, get ready for your birthday party this evening. I'm going to see how far has the preparation been done." Umi quickly run out off the bedroom. Her face is brightly crimson after seeing the other girl happy face. "So...cute~" It seems that some of Kotori giddiness had transfered to Umi.

Unaware by Umi, there is a certain blonde knight standing near the window, looking out with a lonely blue eyes. It takes several minutes for Umi to regain her composure. Fortunately, this time she spots her companion.

"Ah! Eri! How's the setting for the party?"

Snapped from her daydream by Umi voice, Eri turns her head toward the source.

"Oh! Umi...Hey, you just came out from Kotori bedroom. You don't do anything naughty, do you?" Eri smirked, teasing the younger archer. Her eyes glow with mischievous as if the look she give before never actually happen.

"W-Wha...O-Of course not! Where you even get that idea from?!" Umi face feels hot, some steam could be seen coming out from her head.

"Heehee, eventhough you know I was just teasing. You don't have to be embarrassed...unless you really did something to the princess." Eri giggles as she intensify the playful tone for a few last words.

Unable to withstand anymore teasing, Umi yelled as loud as she can. "Mou! Stop it already! Get your mind out of the gutter, Eri!"

"Okay, okay, I'll won't say another word about it so please toned down your voice. You almost break my precious eardrums." Eri pleaded. _"Though I'll stop...for now." _Two pointy horns seen growing on Eri head while an evil grin plastered on her face.(but this won't be seen by any normal naked eyes)

"Hah~somehow I feel drain..." Umi sighed.

"Its too early to feel that Umi."

_'And whose fault was it?!'_ Umi throw a death glare on the blonde knight. Unfortunately, the girl is oblivious to see the look from the archer.

"Now, to answer your ealier question, they did finished set up for the party. But, we still don't get any news from the kitchen. Though, Honoka should be giving her final touches for the cake." Eri suddenly bring up the original reason for this whole conversation.

"Ja, since you don't have any better things(except teasing me) to do, you coming with me." Twist her feet to the other direction, Umi walked away followed by Eri. 'By followed' means that Eri had been drag by force .

"Hey, slow down a bit. The kitchen won't be running away from you, Umi." However, Umi just ignored her.

"Ummmiiiiiii!"

**In the kitchen,**

"Y-You...t-two..., please stop..." A small voice tries to stop the war that has been erupted in the kitchen.

"Yah! Take this sticky bomb!" A shout could be heard from the left side.

"Ah! Fwuuh~ Ha! Ha! Your bomb can't even get near me, nya!" The cat-like human managed to avoid the incoming attack from the opposite in the split seconds.

Groan can be heard from the side and suddenly the whole kitchen covered with white-coloured.

"Ha! Ha! Try to avoid my attack this time." The chef said with full confidence.

"Oh no! I fell into the trap nya! Kayo-chin save yourself nya!"

" H-Hai!" Hanayo find herself crouch on the floor.

Unclear to all, Honoka had thrown her sticky bomb, which originally projected to Rin. But the bomb changes the direction by unknown reason and heading towards the door. At the same time...

"Honoka!"

'CRACK!'

The egg that Honoka threw hit the wall beside the door. Standing by the door is the gallant blue archer and a tired blonde, who is having difficulty in breathing.

'CRACK!'

This time the sound was coming from Umi, or rather her knuckles.

"HO..NO..KA..!"

Seeing Umi's pupil narrow with anger and a scary smile on her face, Honoka shudder and scream...

"I'm sorry!"

'BONK!'

**...(a few minutes later)**

"Aw..." Honoka sobs as she touch the bumps on her head. There quite a few of them on it too. Beside her is Rin, who mimicking Honoka.

"Ow...Angry Umi is scary nya!"

"Why me too..?" Hanayo who is sitting beside Rin, also caught up in Umi wrath."If only I had enough will power, I'll able to stop them.." Hanayo mumbles to herself.

Eri who had been standing on the sideline, scan all over the kitchen with her blue-sky eyes. Everything is a mess. The whole kitchen covered with flour. The most obvious thing that hurt the eyes is the cracked eggs, it was all over the place. No doubt that Honoka and Rin had been thrown them to each other. The question is, what triggered this event.

" Could someone tell me how did this happen?"asked Umi which still having her stern look and glaring to the trio expecially her childhood friend.

_"Well, that's Umi. Always one level ahead."_ Eri nods, agreeing with her soldier-in-arm.

"A-Actually..." The chef then began to tell her from A to Z.

**Hours later...**

"Are you sure you're not lying?" There still doubt in Umi heart.

"Ehh..! What would I gain from that?" Question the brunette in order to convinced her friend.

Umi looked at her sceptically. Hands on the waist, slowly leaning toward Honoka, face-to-face and suddenly smirk.

"Your freedom."

"But its true nya! Rin heard she said that too nya!" Rin tried to defense her partner-in-crime.

"So, you want us to believe that Minami-hime told you guys to have fun and may used the ingredients in the kitchen as you wish because you work hard on finishing the cheesecake for Kotori birthday party?" Eri concluded their story.

"Yes!" All three of them answer instantaneously.

"What if I do agree with their statement?" A matured and charismatic voice rang in front of the kitchen door.

Umi body stiffened as she knows whose that voice belongs to. Without further ado, the trio jump at their saviour, weeping on her feets.

"I believe there is other ways of having fun instead of wasting everything in the kitchen, Minami-himesama" State Umi as she turns, facing the mother of her crush, The Queen.

"Heehee, you too strict Umi-san. You sure suit to be a father."

Caught off guard by the comment, Umi stutter while her face slowly heat up, again for several times today.

"T-Thats not the issue here. A-And I'm a woman though." Umi can't think of the better retort for the argument.

Having nothing to say, Eri let herself laugh at Umi poor choices of word. Umi managed to glare at Eri which this time been notice by the latter. Unable to stop fully, she end up with a small chuckle.

"You don't have to worry about this thing, Umi-san. I can simply ask the maids to clean and buy them anyway." The queen tries to reassure her daughter protector.

"I guess you're right, Minami-himesama. Sorry for being paranoia." Umi bows her head, embarrassed for her action before.

"Well, I better go now. Please continue to protect my daughter, Umi-san, Eri-san." Minami patted Umi head before she walked out of the room.

Unknown to the others, the two from the trio had quietly sneaked inside the kitchen and found themselves the two last eggs in their hands.

"You're sure embarrassed yourself back there." Eri spoke after the silhouette of the queen completely disappear.

"Ugh...You don't have to re.." Before Umi to finish her sentence, her beloved appear out of nowhere.

"What did you do to embarrass yourself, Umi-chan?"

"Ahh!Kotori, you scared me!" Umi a bit taken back.

"Kotori..eh, where's your formality, U~mi." Eri can't help but to tease the younger.

"That because Umi had promise me right?" Kotori can't control her excitement when Umi hadn't forgotten about the promise and cling to her rightside.

Unable to process question because the presence of the princess, Umi only nod to confirm it.

Taking their stand, Honoka and Rin are ready for their final showdown. Because the love of misfortune, both of them somehow step on the eggs that are splattered all over the floor and fall down. The eggs slip out of their hand, flew toward the Goddess of misfortune for today.

"CRAAAACCCCKKKKKK!"

"Umm...U-Umi?!" There is dark shadow covered the bluenette face.

"Nee..Eri, could you take Kotori-sama out of the kitchen please." Forgetting all the other thing, all that can be seen from the archer is two pair of murderous eyes.

No room for debating, Eri takes Kotori hand and lead her out from the soon-to-be a graveyard.

Soon, as they are outside, the door is closed, loudly. Then, the agonize cry and scream could be heard from inside it.

"May you rest in peace, Rin-chan, Honoka-chan." Hanayo apparently been praying for her ex-groupmates.

Not knowing what happening or doesn't even care of what was happening, Kotori inspect Eri and saw the blade, Eri's soulmate on her waist.

"You have a job, Eri-chan? Why? Its my birthday! You can't have a job!" Kotori pouted.

Seeing this, Eri just smile. "Its nothing really, just a round duty Kotori. It will be just a few minutes. I'll come to the party, don't worry. Try telling me when did I'm not present in your party."

"Mou...you always there Eri-chan"still pouting. "How can you be so flawless Eri-chan."

Eri smile faltered. Kotori words somehow bugged the back of her mind.

_"You so flawless...but a clumsy you might be adorable too.."_

"...-chan.."

"..ri-chan.."

"Eri-chan!"

"Huh?" Blinking several times, Eri knows her eyes is pouring. Unable to stop the tears, Eri just laugh and excused herself. Kotori with a grim face only can look at the back of that stoic blonde.

"Eri-chan..."

**In the evening,**

"I still smell like a rotten egg." Umi takes a sniff on her clothes. She had to shower after all that commotion.

Kotori find Umi expression rather cute and giggles to herself. "Don't worry, Umi-chan, you smell nice to me." She can't let the opportunity to grab the archer arm go away.

Feeling the touch, all Umi systems broken down and she began to walk mechanically.

"Where are we going Umi-chan?"question the birthday girl, not noticing the storm in the latter heart.

"W-Well...We are going to welcome some of the guests." Releasing the breath that she been holding from last few seconds.

"Ah! It's been awhile since I saw Maki-chan. I can't wait already." Jumping excitedly beside the bluenette. But, it only lasted a minute or two...

Umi find this sudden change of mood to be really surprise, not to mention it came from Kotori, the most happy-go-lucky girl in the world. Before she could open her mouth...

"Nee, Umi-chan.."

"What is it? Kotori." Umi still keeping her cool demeanor.

"Maybe we should tell Eri-chan about...you know..." Eri crying face keep invade Kotori mind.

"Did she said something about it?" Umi composure slowly crumbles as the taboo topic resurfaced after long time of disappearance.

"No..."

"Then, there is nothing to be done." Umi hugged herself, taught the conversation was over.

"But she was crying, Eri was crying! Umi-chan...And I can do nothing to help..." Kotori sobs.

"Then, make it both of us." Umi hugged the crying girl this time and continued." But this is what we promised her, right?" Though she don't hear any reply, she could feel her mistress nod on her chest. Taking out her clean handkerchief, she draped the tears on the corner of Kotori eyes. "We wouldn't want our guests to see a sad birthday girl, do we?" Umi smile warmly, tried to cheer up the girl.

Kotori shook her head. "If only Umi-chan give me a kiss."

Surprise by the demand, Umi step back however losing her foothold afterward, landing on the ground, butt first. "Ow..."

"I was just teasing Umi-chan." Kotori giggles, not expecting the bluenette to be so panic. She offer her hand to help.

Taking the hand, the archer pick herself up. After standing properly and brush off the dusts, Umi notice their hand are still connecting. Her body temperature rise. She unconciously close the distance between both of them and quickly leaning toward her crush face, giving a peck on the cheek.

"Does that make you happy?" Umi averted her eyes away. Her face now really burning.

The other girl face also no different than the archer. " U-Um..." Losing the ability to speak from the boldness of Umi action, Kotori just settles with a nod.

"Ah! There you two are, nya! You guys been taking forever. Some of the guests are here already, nya!"

Gladly Rin presence managed to disperse the hot tension and atmosphere between those two.

"Sorry Rin. We kind of lost the track of time "said Umi while rush to the reception hall, her hand is still connecting to other. A smile could be seen on the ash-brown haired girl.

**At reception hall,**

"Thanks for coming. Please enjoy yourself, nya!" Rin cheerfullness and loudness melted well in this kind of ocassion.

"Hah~Rin-chan so full with energy. I'm so envious." Kotori complained as she sat down to rest a bit.

"Haha, I can't blame you for having that thought, though thanks for the hardwork." Umi handed a cup of water to Kotori.

"Still, I haven't seen Maki." Kotori happily drink the water.

"True...But knowing her, she probably late and will said _'It's not like I want to be here or anything' _or '_It's not like I don't know what to wear or anything' _something among those lines." Umi said as she mimicking Maki gesture.

"You only change the middle part, Umi-chan~ Why you be so negative about her?" Amused by this side of Umi.

"What?! Thats how she is, don't you think so too?" Umi looked at Kotori, unbelievable.

"Ah! I can smell Maki-chan nya! She's getting closer." Rin shouted.

"I always wonder is Rin a cat or a dog, she seems to possess both traits." Umi mumbles, walking toward the front door.

_"Why you even care about such thing, Umi-chan?"_ Kotori follow her protector to the door.

A white carriage can be seen from afar, slow and steadily move toward the palace lawn. Stopping in front of the reception hall where there are three human being standing and waiting patiently to greet the passenger of the carriage. The coachman bows toward the trio and open the door of the carriage.

Coming out from it, is a young pretty red-haired girl with beautiful violet eyes looking at those three. The dress that she wears very sophisticated adding a charm to her great figure.

Umi could see that there is another person in the carriage but decide to remain silent.

"MAKI-CHAN!"

Haven't meet eye-to-eye for a long time, both Rin and Kotori pounced the latter. Despite having those two mauling over her, Maki managed to stable herself from falling.

"Thats enough you two. Please behave." Umi yanked both of them easily. "Are you alright, Maki-ojou?" Umi formality suddenly kicked in.

"I see you haven't change, Umi-dono. Thanks for caring." Maki reply with same formality.

"Geez..Whats with all the formality? Its too boring." Kotori said as she still hanging on air.

Both of them just laugh. Umi slowly put the two people down. Rin then find herself needed in the kitchen and excuse herself.

"Its been a long time, like what, seven years already?" Kotori started the conversation.

"Actually its been ten years Kotori." Umi corrected her mistress.

"Yeah...A lot things happen that I can't even find myself the time to visit you guys." Maki said as her face change to sour. She cast a glance at the carriage for a brief second which Umi can't help but notice.

"Actually, you guys...I need a favour from you.." Maki looked hesistate..

"Is this about the person inside the carriage?" Umi speak up this time.

"Eh? There is another people you brought Maki-chan?"asked Kotori not knowing anything.

"Hah...Nothing escape from you like always, do you Umi-dono?" Maki used formality to deliver that this is a serious matter.

"I'm flattered, but you think too highly of me. So, what you need for us, Maki-ojou?" Knowing Maki won't be too formal for no reason unless there could be anything worse happen if it been ignored.

On the other side of the palace, Eri is putting her knight attire, finishing it by putting a white cape on the back. Ready to make her round.

_'Somehow I feel like something is going to happen today.' _Eri can't calm her uneasiness or her rollercoaster heart.

Back to the entry, the atmosphere are getting tense. Stood there are two wealthy woman plus one not too poor woman.

"Eh?! You want us to do 'just' that?" Kotori said with unbelievable tone.

"I'm don't expect to hear your serious tone just for you to ask us to not say anything to the person." Umi also find Maki request to be rather ridiculous.

"If you afraid we would talking bad of you in front of that person, you don't have to worry...cause you are perfect in every angle." Kotori added, the tension seemed slowly disappear.

Groaned, Maki let out a desperate growl to get attention from both of her friends.

"Fine! You can decide this as a serious matter or not yourself." Maki walked to the carriage, fuming. She then talked to the one inside. Step beside a bit to let the other come out from the carriage. Maki cast a glance over her two friends which is now frozen in shock.

Both Umi and Kotori gaped, seeing the figure in front of them. A familiar person that they never think will ever meet again.

Same shiny purple hair.

Those same turquoise eyes.

Both mind thinking the same thing.

_'NOZOMI'_

**TO BE CONTINUE...**

Thanks for reading.


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for the reviews and PMs.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Love Live.**

**A _Knight's Princess._**

_Red. Everything colours in red. Sound of people screaming, running for their life. A rise(not A-Rise) in temperature._

_Two lying body, unmoving, drenched in the red liquid._

_"NO!"_

_"Hey little girl, are you alright in there?" A unknown voice could be hear from the outside._

_"Where am I?" Not knowing how even I get in here. It seems that I had trapped in this confinement which it be known as a carriage by any normal person. I saw a small door near me. Without thinking, I make a haste to open it and jump out of it._

_"Whoa...don't be nasty now. You could get hurt you know, little girl." The middle-aged man with a weird moustache caught me in time before I give the ground my first kiss. I struggled for some time until I heard a melodious voice. _

_"Who is it, Katou-san?"asked a small girl, rubbing her eyes with a right hand while dragging a little bunny bear on the other._

_And I saw another red in colour yet again. She looked like she had just wake up from a sleep. It takes some time for her to focus on me. And when she did..._

_Blank turquoise clashed with pretty...or rather shocking amethyst._

_"Non-chan?"_

**CHAPTER 2: In Garden Of Glass.**

**_Eight years ago,_**

_Clanging and clanking noise could be heard throughout every corners in the castle. Maki was staring, astonished by the sight of the messy girl gluttonously dumped all the food down her throat. Not to mention, it was already the tenth serving so far. _

_Unable to stay calm, she cast a quick glance toward her family coachman to gain some informations._

_"Ehem.." The man coughed before whisper to the young mistress. "I found her when I visited my hometown near the West continent. She had been lying in the middle of the road. I thought she was already dead, luckily I managed to see she still breathing. You don't mind me brought her here so suddenly, do you, milady?" He finished his story with a question._

_I shook my head. "I don't mind. Mama and Papa will do the same too." 'And she is my friend too though I don't think she will say the same.' Maki added with a sad smile._

_**Few hours** **before,**_

_"Non-chan..? Who's that?" The purple hair girl gave perplexed look._

_"Ehh..! You, of course, Non-chan. Tou-jou No-zo-mi." Maki emphasised every syllabel of her friend name._

_"Oh! You saw my pendant already? Its been with me since forever. I guess the name carved on it indicates its mine then." Nozomi took out the pendant that been hanging around her neck and show it to the younger._

_Looking worried of her older friend, she asked the girl a question which she most afraid of._

_"Nee..N-Non-chan...Do you know who I am?"_

_The latter squinted her eyes, stroking her chin then tilted her head. "No. Who are you anyway?"_

_Maki waited for a moment, sensing there's no usual humour later. Maki stunned. She realised that Nozomi had no recollection of her...of everything, even herself._

**Present,**

"And then, you're telling me she is your maid. No..., your 'personal' maid!?" Umi slightly yell.

"You totally take it the wrong way!" Maki yell as well, closing Umi mouth with both her palms to shut the bluenette. Her face hot with embarrassement.

The two girls in front of them stop walking and turn they head after heard the loud noise. Kotori takes initiative to ask. "Is there anything wrong, Umi-chan, Maki-chan?"

Try to be secretive, both of them shook their head at the same time while looking deep into the amber gems of the birthday girl.

"O..okay. If you guys say so." Kotori return to continue her talk with Maki's 'maid'." Before Nozomi engross in the conversation back, Umi eyes connect with the curious turquoise, but its only in brief of moment.

Umi sigh. "I'm just joking. I know you wouldn't cheat on your girl." Having the only one who always getting the teased, she can't help but want to try it to other, especially on this defensive one. But then, the archer realised her mistake. "I-I'm sorry. I-I don't mean to b-be so insensitive." Umi bows at ninety degree.

Knowing which girl Umi talking about, Maki smile bitterly. "I'm sure she is somewhere." It start with a whisper, if Umi had not restraint her ears at the time, she probably missed it.

"U-Umm, M-Maki..?"

"There is no way she could die just from that. She just too stubborn anyway. Even the cockroaches won't die from that. She stooped so low then if she let it happen easily on her. I doubt her pride will able to accept it, not even in death." Maki burst, balling her hand, holding up her tears from coming out.

_'Maki...you comparing her with some random cockroach? Well, if we considering her twintail as the antenna. Maybe they do resemble each other.'_ Umi, again, thinking some useless idea. Before Umi started to ask something, Maki cuts her first.

"We also been searching for eight years now ever since Nozomi show up, yet no any sign of her..." Only waiting for time, before Maki causing a flood in the palace.

To prevent this, Umi give a quick sorry and change the subject, but still, it's not a happy subject.

"I just wonder why won't you tell us anything about her. I-I mean...you do take a long time to bring her here. I-I not blaming you though..." Umi try not to hurt Maki feelings other than she already had. Umi observes the tsundere shifts uncomfortably.

"I taught I could manage it by myself. Because most places we used to go are under my properties so I tried to bring her there. However, I guess my plan is an epic fail. I also don't want to add another problem for you guys." Maki explain.

"By problem, you mean Eri, right?" Seeing that there was no point in hiding, Maki nods.

"Where is she anyway?" Maki noticed she haven't meet the blonde yet.

"Fortunately, she has to make some security work right now. Though we do need to make up some plan, just to be safe. I can't even imagine if they ever meet with each other, could you?" Seeing a shook, Umi continue. "These two...They really give us anything but troubles."

"You're the one to talk, Umi." Maki snorted.

"Hmm..Which part of me is the trouble?"

"Literally I'm going to say your brain. But it just your shyness thats keep getting on my nerves." Maki smirk though its hard for Umi to notice it since the crimson lady already speed up her pace and gone behind one of the doors.

"Geez...it's not like I can't make it gone easily, especially not when she around me." Umi muttered, a little red tinted her cheeks.

**In the ballroom,**

"ARE YOU GUYS HAVING FUN? CAUSE RIN IS HAVING FUN, NYA!" A lots ooohhh reply, matching with Rin excitement.

"AH! YOU'RE FINALLY HERE NYA! EVERYONE, WELCOMING THE BIRTHDAY GIRL, MINAMI KOTORI-SAMA NYA!" The guests are clapping loudly and keep giving the wishes to the said girl.

"Hey! Why are you leave the MC and DJ job to Rin anyway? She don't even need a mic, her voice really loud enough as it is." Maki turn up her volume to oppose the loud music.

"She is doing a good job in it Maki. No arguing in there." Umi said, amused by the energy felt in the room.

"Urgh...I just wish she slow down the volume for a bit" Maki said while scratching one of her ears.

"Then, I will just tell her to do that." Umi couldn't even had time to move, when...

"AND THERE'S MAKI-CHAN TOO, NYA!"

"Geh! She don't even put -sama when calling me." Maki whined at Umi, who could only chuckle.

"OH!" Rin suddenly shout. Umi and Maki can see that she was looking in their direction. No, to be specific, the one beside Maki.

"EHHHH!? ISN'T THAT NOZO-URK!" Rin suddenly fell backward. The mic gives out a loud buzzing noise. All the guest just laugh, thinking this is some act that has been planned but only Maki and Umi know the truth. Since the mic still on, everyone could heard Hanayo, who had been sitting beside Rin wailing.

"R-Rin-chan! You can't die now. I'm too shy to speak."

"Ehem. Maki." Umi coughed, getting the latter attention. Unknown to others, Maki just had thrown her purse straight to Rin head with a supersonic speed.

"What?! I'm just preventing before anything gets worse. Anyway, we should tell the three of them to keep quiet."

"I guess that the only thing we can do right now." Maki then catches a glimpse of someone familiar. The red hair grab both of Umi shoulder and look into the amber eyes with her two pierce amethyst.

"Hey, Umi. When you said right now, it's really mean like 'right now'."

Not understand a word, Umi try to say something. Only to be rewarded by a shoved, a hard one. Umi stumbles toward some direction and been caught by someone from behind.

"Whoa...Umi-chan! You can't even walk properly in this party?" God! Now, Umi can get the picture of what's going on.

"Geez, she could just tell me, like a normal person." Umi grunted.

"Hmm...What did you say?" Honoka couldn't hear Umi.

"Ah! Nothing really, ha..ha...So.., Honoka, what are you doing here?" Umi immediately straighten herself, blocking Honoka eyesight from seeing the purple girl.

"Oh, I'm just going to wish Kotori-chan." Honoka flashed her usual grin.

"Unfortunately, she very busy right now." Umi lets her eyes wander to the sideway. Luckily, Kotori really been surrounded by people from the nobles.

"Oh! Really?" The young chef just won't believe until she see it with her eyes and try to move to look.

The bluenette won't be bother by this if Honoka only see Kotori, however if she let her, there's no guarantee Honoka will miss Nozomi as well. Umi can't risk that, so she decides to follow every movement of the brunette.

Being frustrated over Umi who suddenly follow every motion she make, Honoka try to speed up. And be going faster and faster until both of them need some break to catch a breath.

"Huff...U-Umi-chan..huff..what are..huff..you..trying..to do?huff.." Honoka manages to speak between the breath.

"I-I..huff..practising..dancing?" Umi seems too caught up with her 'blocking', she doesn't really have a time to think a good explaination.

"Umi-chan...There's not even decent music been playing." Truth to be told, the music had toned down. It must happen when Rin been hit. She probably had scroll down the button during her fell.

Miraculously, in a flash, the music start to lift up the party mood. Somehow the orange haired girl at the MC table try to stand, grabbing the table for support. She staggered and might accidently pushed some of the buttons. Umi could heard Hanayo voice through the mic that had just been turn on.

"Ah! Thank God, you're still alive."

Seeing this as opportunity to explain to the clueless trio, Umi grasp the chef hand. "Hey Honoka, lets dance."

Though Honoka try to protest,"but I haven't wish Kotori yet." Umi already lead the poor girl from there, dance through the crowds to the MC table.

Maki who had see the ordeal she put on the archer from the beginning, let out a relief sigh.

"What's troubling you, Maki-chan? You've been staring on Sonoda-dono for a very long time. Don't say you're jealous at the other girl who just capture her attention." Nozomi appear with two glass of punch and hand it to her mistress.

"What?! Of course not! I'm not particularly focussing on them anyway." Maki take the glass and have a sip for a taste.

"It doesn't seem that way to me." The older girl widen her grin.

It really takes some time for Maki to make Nozomi resorted to just call her casually. Due to this, the interaction between Maki and Nozomi has become like what friends usually had, though it's only restrict when Nozomi feel that there is no one near to eavesdrop them.

Crossing her arms, Maki let out a 'hmph!' "I couldn't care less about them" and walk away, blended with others in higher status.

**At the MC table,**

"Umi-chan...You dragging me to hard...My feets all wobble now." Honoka leans against the near wall to avoid falling.

"Don't try making it as a big problem." Umi retorted while waving her hand to catch both of the younger attention, which it work.

"Umi-chan!" The cat-like girl made a mad dash towards Umi and throw herself to hug the bluenette. "Umi-chan, help Rin nya! Rin saw a ghost! Nozomi-chan is a ghost nya! What should Rin do? Is Rin gonna die? Rin don't want to die and leave Kayo-chin all alone nya!" Rin blurts all the questions at once while shaking Umi, vigorously.

Try to make sense of Rin desperation, Umi cannot take all the information given very well, with Honoka keeps whining about her feets and Hanayo appreciating Rin with 'I don't want you to go too.' Thats leave Umi to do her final resolve, which is...

"BONK!"

"Aww..." All three said the same thing with additional "Why me too?"by Hanayo.

"Geez...You guys are worst than the children. Umi complains before continue. "There is something I would like to tell and ask you guys to do. So, listen carefully. I won't be repeating myself."

Taken by the seriousness of Umi voice, the trio quickly sit in seiza-style, hand on head, making a salute sign, which means they're ready to accept the command.

Umi sighed, not without showing a small smile later. "I hope this went well."

**Back to the dancefloor,**

Kotori right now is enjoying her favourite cake. "Emm..Honoka really did a great job on this cheesecake. Not to mention, other servings too are also delicious." Taking one bite while scanning the area, looking for her protector but only found Maki standing, looked boring..or maybe lonely..?

So, she takes her chances to make a decent talk since Maki had glued to Umi from the beginning of her arriving. To be honest, the greyish girl feel rather jealous but not sure if it's to Maki, who is making her beloved not focussing on her or Umi, for the one who be able to talk to the crimson princess first.

"Hi Maki-chan! What are you doing? Where's Nozomi-chan?" Kotori makes her first move.

"Oh, Kotori! I'm not really doing anything. And Nozomi just went to fetch us some of the cake." Maki then twirl her hair and continue"I know I should do this first though when I arrived but things got really complicated I just forgot. So, Happy Birthday, Kotori."

Maki blush a little, not the type of person who do the wish kind of thing as a normal occassion.

Kotori beamed with happiness, despite had been told multiples time today, it felt really different when comes from someone close to her.

"I-I've been wondering Kotori...How can you not affected by Nozomi sudden appearance?" Maki find this rather strange since the birthday girl could easily start the conversation with the older girl without revealing the truth they tried to hide.

Closing her eyes, Kotori tilts her head, stroking her smooth chin. "If Maki-chan asking on how I feel, of course I'm too was shocked as anyone can be. But, you know Maki-chan, treating Nozomi-chan like a total different person won't help her regain any memories. But I do wonder, will she get it back if we just knock out her head, hard."

"Rejected! We won't be doing that!" Maki slightly pinch her nose bridge. "Geez...When I taught you are mature for once, you reduce yourself back to a child."

"Teehee~I'm just kidding, Maki-chan. The only thing we can do for Nozomi-chan is wait, right?" Kotori said cutely.

"Yeah...As long as nothing involving knocking her head, everything is fine by me. Maki said and think at the same time._ 'Though I do have an idea who can help Nozomi, but I think it impossible right now. That person now is not the one from the past.'_

Busy with her mind, Maki hasn't realize that there are two handsome and charming prince at the back of her slim body. The tall man with a teal hair tap Maki shoulder and say something, gaining both Maki and Kotori attention. Both of the gentlemen bow a bit.

"May you become my dance partner?" The other man offers his hand toward Kotori. His bright amber eyes shoots straight to the other amber, reminding the ash-brown princess about her crush. Unconciously, the girl takes the hand and answer "I may".

"Wait! Are you really trying to find a suitor?" The first word came out loud while the rest only for the birthday girl ear to hear.

"A-A suitor?" Kotori gives Maki a perplex look.

Guessing that the look Kotori had been given to her, Maki speculates that the girl didn't know what's written in the party invitation card.

"Look Kotori, don't be surprise when I tell you this. The party not only for your birthday celebration but also for you to find a suitor. But it's not like you going to find one today and marry him tomorrow. It just for the two of you to know each other, so don't worry about that." Maki keeps whispering and tries to reassure her friend.

"Oh...I don't know about that. I've not be notified by that. Did Umi-chan knows?" Maki could see Kotori shoulder slumped and her eyes is full of sadness.

"I don't know..." Maki said though she bet the archer know hundred percent about this.

"Its okay Maki-chan! We don't even have a reason to decline these two gentlemen polite gesture. Kotori said then run to her dance partner who face had brighten when Kotori takes him to the dancefloor. Maki knows she try to act as cheerful as she can be.

"You better do something about your cowardice, Umi." Maki grits her white teeth before making the teal guy leads her.

**At the balcony,**

"Hah..."

"Ara~It's not good to sigh in someone party, Sonoda-dono."

Without even peering to the left side, Umi knows too well whose sweet voice those belongs to. "I guess I need to say sorry but to who though?" Umi grin, tried to light up the conversation.

"Heehee, what about eat this first to begin with." Nozomi shoves a spoonful of cheesecake into Umi mouth without her consent.

"H-Hmphh!" It took Umi by surprise. "Mou...Toujou-san, I can eat by myself if you just tell me so." Umi said with a flush face after gulped all the remaining cake.

"Heh..., then it won't be any fun." Using the same spoon, Nozomi feed herself. _'It was an indirect kiss.' _Umi thought. Thinking of that, the red colour on Umi face spread until it reach her ears.

"Ah! Stop thinking about it. Stop thinking about it.." Umi mutters to herself, recite the same word all over again.

"What's the matter, Sonoda-dono? Did you catch a cold?" Putting the cake on the nearby table. Nozomi got closer to the bluenette after seeing the girl face really red.

"Ah! I-It's nothing, really." Umi said but Nozomi hands already placed on both sides of Umi face.

"?! W-What are you doing?!" Panic overwhelm Umi as the emerald eyes girl lean closer to her, her face to be in fact. Umi could feel Nozomi's hot breath and close her eyes, tight.

"Chu!"

Feeling Nozomi wet lips only touch her forehead. Umi slowly allow the light to enter her amber eyes.

"I used to do that to Maki-sama when she's under the weather. I know it's not really do any recovery but atleast it lessen the pain. I hope it help you somehow." Nozomi took a step backward, feels a bit shy about her spur of moment kiss.

"Heehee...surprisingly it did. I guess I'm just tired from all the works." Umi rubs the back of her neck. Her blushed subdued though it still remain some traces on the face. _'I guess her motherly side still intact.' _Soon, two other delicate hands join, rubbing her shoulder.

"Wait-mmm...Toujou-sa-mhmm..." Umi moans in pleasure by Nozomi good handwork.

"Don't worry, Sonoda-dono. I'm a royal maid after all. This is an easy job." The maid say full with confidence.

"I'm not your master though.." A few chuckles roll out of Umi's mouth.

Stepping closer, Nozomi lean her lips near the back of the archer ear. "Lucky~You just got yourself a exclusive treatment from me...only for today~" Nozomi sexy voice give Umi a shudder. A second shudder came not longer after as the purple-haired girl give a playful blow to the bluenette ear.

"Ara~I hope I don't break you, Sonoda-dono." Even with the latter back was facing Nozomi, she can conclude that the girl was blushed since she saw a glimpse of red on the tips of Umi ears. Nozomi couldn't put a finger on why she can easily tease the young protector. All she know is it felt very nostalgic ever since she step into this palace. Umi simply shook her head implying she still okay.

Seeing this kind of reply, Nozomi continue "I never thought Maki-sama has friends. She never tell me about you guys before."

Umi giggles."Maki...aren't really good with heart-to-heart talking, Toujou-san. So, I guess by bringing you here is the way she trying to show that she has friends and want us to be the same." Umi slightly turn, meeting the emerald gems.

"You really know her too well. I'm so jealous." Nozomi pouts.

"No...there is only one of us who knows everything about everyone." Umi said with a sad smile, her eyes never leave the latter's.

"Ah~ Lets forget about this. So, what's you're hobby?" Nozomi quickly changed the somewhat sad topic into the common one.

"Eh..? So, suddenly...Hmm...I guess writing a p-poem?" Umi makes a funny face while thinking her hobby.

"Wow! That is so...rare. Hey, make one right now Sonoda-dono."

"Wha..! Asking me right on bat already! Ermmm...Sorry, I don't have any inspiration today, Nozomi." Preoccupy with searching of ideas, Umi hasn't realize she had just roll the older maid first name casually. Been answer with a silent, the archer take a peek on the latter. She could see Nozomi eyes twinkle and showing her a megawatt smile.

It takes several seconds for Umi to process the event triggered the reaction. "Ah! I'm sor-"

Nozomi place her index finger on Umi lip. "You're going to make me sad if you take it back, U-mi-chan~" Winking to the bluenette, Nozomi reward a second kiss to Umi smooth cheek.

"Ah! Umi-chan~" The daughter of the palace owner appears among the crowds and possessively grab the protector left arm. Umi don't know if her face flushed from Nozomi or Kotori action.

Unknown to these two, Kotori had witness everything from the start of Nozomi fed Umi up until the second kiss. Many of her dance partners ends with crushed hand or sharp pain on the waist...maybe both.

"Nee...Umi-chan...We haven't spend time together at all this evening. Lets go and have some fun." The young mistress tries to pull her beloved away from the purple maid.

The action caught Nozomi attention and understood the situation, however, rather than leave them alone she speaks, "Ehhhh..You're going away, Umi-chan...But we just got to the fun part." Knowing the jealous amber is staring at her, Nozomi look back and grin.

Feeling the tighten on her arm, Umi winced but not complaining. "I-I don't know what part are we talking about, Nozomi." State Umi, oblivious by the staring contest of the other two.

"Ara~You should know this kind of stuff, Romeo. I mean the first kiss is on the forehead and the second on the cheek. Where do you think the third one should be?" The emerald gems still connect with the amber. Nozomi leans, her lip only a few centimetres away from the bluenette. This action makes Kotori scowled and she can't control how much force she exerted on the archer arm.

"Ouch! Hey Kotori, what's wrong? You been gripping my arm really hard since you came here " Umi turns her head to take a good look at the birthday girl, ignoring the seductive tone Nozomi had been given.

Seeing Umi concerned about her, makes Kotori feel guilty for her unnoticable aggression toward the bluenette. "I'm sorry..." Releasing her hand off the latter arm, not realising her face has become solemn.

"Ah! It's not that I mad or anything. I'm just worry." Realizing her attempts is a failure, Umi spots the previous cheesecake that Nozomi had left and pick some of it with the spoon then held it near Kotori mouth.

"Now, say aah!"

Surprise and happy with Umi attempts to cheer her up, Kotori gladly open her mouth"Aahh...mmm~Its delicious, Umi-chan!" Giving her friend a happy smile which soon be follow by the archer.

"Heehee, you two are adorable." Nozomi spoke after long watching the heartwarming moment. Earning a glare from the princess, Nozomi just smile. Meanwhile, the protector tried to hide her embarrassment which fail miserably.

"Oh, Umi-chan! About the kiss, you don't have to worry. I'm not implying anything, just to show you some gratitude of being my friend. I hope I don't get too overboard with it." Nozomi shows her apologetic face.

"Its okay, Nozomi. Kiss between friends is just normal. But don't just do to anyone." Umi tries to be nice although she had missed Kotori unagree pout.

Further away from those three, Maki was watching. "Nozomi seems to be having fun." She smiled and resume her dance with a different guy from ealier.

"Excuse me..." A red-haired man interrupts the birthday girl and two other friends.

"Yes? What can I do for you, sir?" Umi asked since she is the nearest to the man.

"I'm sorry, I know this probably isn't a good time but I want to ask the princess for a dance." He bows a his head, hiding his crimson eyes.

Seeing no reason to decline, Umi step aside to give the man a whole view of her princess. "Sure you can..." Umi held her word as she feel a light tug on her dark blue sleeve, Umi turn as she regret doing that, her amber meets with a cute puppy eyes, pleading for something she know she will give in no matter what.

Turning back her head to the man, Umi said "Sure you cannot..., I'm her partner." Umi mentally slapped her face. The man then apologize and flee from there. "He really work out his courage to ask and I feel bad for crushing them." Umi admired the shy guy at the same time pity for him.

"Wow! I never know Umi-chan really that weak." Nozomi said with grin plastered all over her face.

"Oh, quiet you...Nozomi!" Reminding Umi of her childhood memories.

"Yey! Since Umi-chan already said that she is my partner, lets go and have some fun." Kotori drags the poor girl toward the guests.

"Have fun, Umi-chan! Kotori-chan!" Umi heard the purple-haired girl.

**Back to the dancefloor again,**

The music slowly change from a fast dance to a slow one. Some of the guests also change their partner in dancing. The lighting are changes according to the mood of the music.

"Wow...Is Rin did all of this?" Umi impressed.

"Hehe, you said it again this year." Kotori giggles as she interlock her finger that has been circle around Umi neck.

"Sometime I wonder how easily they can switch from being talented to being a child." Umi puts both her hand on Kotori hips, trying to remain calm.

"You won't get your answer even if you dwell in it too much. That's just how they are, Umi-chan." Satisfy with they position, the mistress follow her partner lead.

"Say, Kotori...I never knew you already on the first name basis with Nozomi."

"Hmm...I asked her to do that thing first before we start chatting earlier." Umi and Kotori are now moving into the centre of the dancefloor.

"Heh...You never ceased to amaze me. You always has some unexpected surprise on your sleeve, Kotori." Umi gives a smile which capture her lady hearts.

"In fact, I do have one now." Kotori tighten her grip and bring her body up, kissing the same place Nozomi had, which is the second one. _'Now, thats has been overwritten.'_

"Wha-What are you doi-" Kotori cuts off before Umi tries to say anything.

"You did say kissing between friends is normal." Smiling, the grey-haired girl return to her position, placing her head on the archer chest.

"Geez...using my own statement against me, I can't counter that." The drumming of the bluenette heart gives happiness to Kotori.

"Say, Umi-chan...now it's your time to answer my question." With a sudden change of the princess tone, Umi feels very uneasy.

"What's on your mind?"

"Did you know about the suitor thingy?" It was just simple and direct.

Kotori doesn't need to hear the answer, Umi stiffness already gave it away. "I wish you could tell me first before I hear it from someone else."

Umi quickly hug the shaking girl. "I'm sorry" That's all Kotori been hearing from her protector, recited again and again while placing a few kisses on her head.

"Stay with me for today, okay?" Kotori mumbles on Umi chest.

"Yes, milady. The rest of my night is now yours."

The music has die down. Some of the guests still mingle on the dancefloor while others flow out of there either searching for food or toilets. But no one seems to mind the birthday girl and her partner.

**Outside the castle,**

"Hmm...the party sure is lively. Well, I guess everything will with those guys." Refering to her childhood friends inside the palace, Eri chuckles.

The knight have been walking around, securing the area. Although, the surrounding are as normal as it is, Eri feels like someone has been trailing over her. However, she feels no malice from that particular person so, she just ignore it.

Strolling toward her last checkpoint, she could hear someone is already there. Placing her hand on the hilt of her sword, she sneak in slowly and quietly among the bushes.

"Who are you?" Eri reveal herself.

There she was, stood in the glasshouse which turned into a garden of white lilies since she was a little girl. She sees a full-bloomed woman with violet hair and a pair of panic emerald eyes. Unlike her dream, this woman in front of her is a reincarnation Goddess of Beauty instead the gullible and cute child. Eri guess this might be the older version of the girl she saw in her dream. The knight unconciously roamed her sapphire iris over every inches of Nozomi body, leaving none to be examinate.

Feeling hot and bother by the intense gaze of the stranger, the maid shift uncomfortably and brave herself to tell off the blonde. "Please stop staring..." It suppose to come out strong, but somehow Nozomi shy away, feeling very vulnerable around the palace soldier.

"Aah...sorry. I can't see very well in the night." Blinking her eyes for several times, thinking that was a good plausible excuse. "Anyway, what are you doing here?" Eri return back to her stoic self on the surface, but mentally she was cursing herself for staring the girl unnecessarily.

"I kind of saw this garden from the balcony, it just make me curious and I somehow find myself here and admired the lilies, they are lovely." Nozomi ends her explaination with small smile, watching the lines of the flowers though a bit fidgeted, don't want Eri to think she's acting like a child.

Looking up to see which balcony, she later concludes that the woman is one of Kotori guests. Seeing Nozomi is not a threat, Eri relaxed.

"I'm apologized for my rudeness. I shouldn't treat the guest of the palace suspiciously. A person who likes a pretty things must be a good person, right?" Eri lower her head.

Never experienced any polite gesture, Eri action stuttered Nozomi. "Y-You don't need to do that...Erm..Y-You can raise your head already." Nozomi simply ask the swordwoman, don't want to feel embarrass any longer.

"Okay." Eri obey, finding it very peculiar since she would usually insisted the other party until they give her forgiveness.

Strangely, Nozomi placed her palm over the blonde head, patting it softly. "I forgive you." It lasted for a brief of seconds. Both Eri and Nozomi inevitably blush and turn, facing their back to each other at the same time.

'Ah...I did it again. Same with Umi-chan...but why do I feel a slightly different feelings with this stranger.' Clutching the hand that had touched the latter with the other hand, Nozomi cast a sideway glance over to the other person.

Eri now is touching her head where the lingering feels still attached to it. Her lip form a childish smile. "Why this feels very nostalgic. Why am I feel so happy? It just a pat on the head." Trying to find the answer, the sapphire look into the source.

Both blue and green gems separate with each other as soon as they meets. The blush on their face could only intensify.

"W-What is this place called?" Ignoring the building of heat, Nozomi tried for a casual talk.

"W-We just call it the Garden of Glass, since it garden in the glasshouse." Eri reply, hoping they really could just chatting like a normal person.

"I never thought Kotori-chan love white lily." The violet girl stroke one of the flower nearby.

"She don't. The one who love them are Rin, Umi and...(was there suppose to be three person who like it?)" Eri tries to remember the last member but couldn't.

Doesn't realize the knight struggles, Nozomi spoke. "Oh! So, Umi-chan likes this flower too. There no surprise then, she seems the type to love this kind of thing."

Eri feels heart twinge when the latter speak about Umi with such a caring tone, not to mention first name basis already. "What are your relationship with Umi anyway?" Eri observes the other very closely.

Unnoticed of Eri jealousy tone, Nozomi answer. "I'm not really that close to her, in fact we just met today. Maki-sama who introduce Kotori-chan and Umi-chan to me. We just become friends couple minutes ago."

"You came with Maki!? Wow! I haven't saw her in ages. How is she? Still a tsundere I bet." Eri sounds happy hearing the name of her childhood friend, forgetting about her unspoken jealousy toward the archer.

"She's fine I guess...I won't deny she is a tsundere though." Both Eri and Nozomi are now giggles. Nozomi who was first to subdue from the burst, look at the blonde. All the seriousness had gone from her face, only to be replaced by a bright smile. _'Pretty.'_ That's what come to the maid mind. Nozomi heartbeat had return to normal not long before but there always an extra beat whenever she look at the stranger beside her.

Realizing she hasn't gotten the sword wielder name yet, she ask shyly. "Hey you..."

"Hmmm..." Eri stop her giggles after noticing Nozomi tries to say something and allow her to continue.

"Could you tell me your name? Nozomi's turqouise meets Eri's sapphire for one second before looking back at the lilies.

_'Adorable.'_ Eri thought before spoke."You can call me Eri, I don't mind."

"Ehhh! I can't do that." Hearing the girl give her first name surprised Nozomi.

"But you're fine with Umi." Eri feels agitated with the rejection.

"That's because we are friend." Nozomi couldn't say that she will feel embarrass if she just call the knight name so casually.

_'So, we aren't huh...'_ Eventhough Eri feels dejected, she still give her name. "Ayase...Ayase Eri. What yours?"

"I'm Toujou Nozo-" Eri could hear a rustle coming around the bushes.

"Toujou-san, please stay back." The sword wielder order the maid while slowly unsheathed her sword. "Come out now! I know you've been follow me around!" Eri shouts, taking her fighting stance. Feeling a little scared, Nozomi steps backward. She had not realised that there is a small pond nearby.

The rustling noise become a bit louder, scaring Nozomi again. Eri as ready as forever was distracted when she hear a yelp from behind. Throwing a glance to make sure, Nozomi somehow had tripped herself into the pond. Something fell down on the ground as Eri turn back to see. It was...

"A light bomb!" Soon after, a white light illuminates the whole garden, blinding Eri from seeing anything but she could heard footsteps running out of the glasshouse. As the light disappear, the knight make haste to the entrance and look around. The culprit seems to be far away but she do get a glimpse of...

"A twintailed?"

**TO BE CONTINUE...**

Thanks for reading.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N

Sorry for the late updates. My file got corrupted and had to rewrite everything which absolutely a little bit different from the original. Hope you like it either way.

Appreciate all the reviews.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Love Live.**

_**A Knight's Princess**_

_"I'm going."_

_"Then, I'm coming too."_

_"You can't. It's too dangerous. Stay here. Look after Maki."_

_"No! You won't be able to handle it alone. There lives to consider."_

_"Ugh...There's no winning against you. Fine, you can come but don't stray away from me."_

_Through the open door, I slightly peek inside. Mama and Papa are busy stashing away their clean clothes into the bag that always been used when travelling. They often went away to help other kingdoms, especially when it come to medical attention._

_"Where are you going?" I poked my head behind the door, asking a question that I've already know the answer._

_"Oh, honey! Mama and Papa are going somewhere for a couple of days. Stay here and be good, okay?" Mama pats my head gently as usual._

_Being a good girl as I was, I follow them to the front and bid them a farewell. Unknown to anyone, that day was the last day I ever saw their smile. They were reported missing in action along with the news of..._

_The fallen of West Palace._

**Chapter 3: A Familiar Scent.**

"Mmm..."

A light ray from the sun is creeping into the spacious bedroom through the open window. A melodious chirping of birds could be hear, waking the attendant in the room.

In a half-asleep state, that person tries to move but feeling something heavy on top of her. With the right hand, she reach and touch one of the soft mound. Still can't think clearly, she squeeze it a bit.

"Hnn...mmm..."

Hearing the erotic moans, the knight widen her eyes and quickly stir her body to move. This action resulting her to hit the bed headboard.

"Itai!" Touching the bump on her head, she's hissing from the pain.

"Hmm...Ayase...-dono? What happened?" The other occupant awake, startled by the sudden movement. She rubs her eyes in a cute manner, still hazy from the lack of rest.

"N-Nothing happened. Everything is good." Assure the blonde girl that they are not in dangerous.

"But you don't look so good." Pointing out the obvious, the violet-haired girl slowly crawls toward the swordwoman.

Notice the small gesture, Eri looks to the girl direction only to be paralysed by the sexy sight in front of her. Staring at the adorable sleepy face, the sapphire travel south to her bare..um...bosom.

She could only gulp and let her body consummate by the heat. The yesterday events keep swirling in her mind.

A stalker. Someone fall. Light bomb. Wet. No change cloth. My room. Lend a shirt. Breast..Won't fit. Tired. Sleep.

Before the sword wielder can connect the dots, a smooth hand reach and pat her head. It render the pain she felt earlier. She unconsciously mewl in delight.

"Hehe. Very cute." Embarrass, Eri muffles all the sound with both palms. Steams could be seen coming out of her red ears.

Unable to stay awake, Nozomi fall back on the soft mattress. Her arms somehow capture the blonde sides, bringing the knight down along with her. Soon, the maid gives a cute snore, going back to dreamland.

Smiling, the swordwoman stay and enjoy the warmth from the other body. _'What a good thing to start a day.'_ Later on, the sword wielder carefully maneuver her body, prevent her secret crush from waking up. At the same time...

'BAM!'

"Eri! Are you awake? We need to..." The bang from the door startle the hell out of Eri, making her stumbles onto the sleeping maid.

"Wha-What are you thinking, doing this kind of things in the palace?!" The blue archer grabs her sturdy bow on her back. Prepare to attack.

"This is a misunderstanding!" Though the blonde said that, her position doesn't hold the statement at all.

Because of the shock, one of her legs is in between the maid's while her right hand make a rest at the same mound she found earlier. Nozomi exposition are making everything worse.

Quickly reaching her sword at the edge of the bed, the knight block all the arrows shooting at her. Only 'shameless' 'disgraceful' 'wait' 'listen to me' could be heard during those moment. Apparently, one of the deflect arrows fly its way toward the sleeping girl, hitting her square on the forehead. The girl utters some cries and being awake permanently this time.

"Hey, you should stop. You're hurting an innocent people here."

"You're saying that doesn't include you, right Eri?" Umi prepares her next barrages.

Processing the words, the swordwoman realized her mistake. "Wait! Let me rephrased it." But it was too late.

Sitting dumbfounded, watching the war explode in front her. Nozomi look back and forth from the blonde to the bluenette and settling back to the blonde. She let out a quiet giggles. Who would imagine the stoic sword wielder could make a very distress face early in the morning. _'Never thought morning can be this lively.'_

Missed the purplehead giggles, Eri focus on how to escape. Seeing the open window is the only ticket for her survival, she makes way there slowly, one step at the time eventually seize the opportunity. "Well, I appreciates the morning practice, Umi. Fortunately, I have some business to attend. So long!" With that, the knight jumps out of the room through the window.

"Whaa!" The maid lunges forward to take a look. Evidently, her love at a first sight had leapt from the second floor. Seeing the girl is safe and sound, she sighs.

"I presume she landed perfectly. Hah~I hope she don't do anything to you." The archer inch forward before crouching, collecting the remain arrows on the floor.

Confuse by the statement, Nozomi tilts her head to the side, allowing her to get a full view of her body. _'Oh my...'_ Grasping the whole situation, the emerald-eyed girl feels sorry for her crush. _'I need to do something to make up for her.'_ Grinning inwardly, already making plans. _'But now, I'm going to avenge you, Ayase-dono!'_

The older maid bend down. Her eyes level are the same as the amber. "How very protective of you, Umi-chan~You don't like me being all alone with Ayase-dono?" The girl tries to hold her laughter when the latter gives her a suspicious gaze.

"I-I'm not really-" The amber darts to her right hand which been hold by the violet maid so suddenly. Her mind send alarms to her entire body.

"I don't mind if you want..."

Knowing where this thing is going, the young archer immediately pull away the captive hand but to no avail. She struggles from the hold. For several minutes, those two are in deathly tug of war. When it's about to be declare a draw, the door harshly swung open.

"Umi-chan~Why are you not in the bed when I wake up?" A certain ash-browned haired princess stands at the door.

Tasting the victory, the violet girl yanks the distract bluenette strongly. Both of them fall onto the bed with Nozomi's back land on it.

The new amber widen as she see the view in front of her. Nozomi managed to make Umi looks like she is stripping her by placing the bluenette hand a little bit below her exposed breast.

"This is not like what it seems!" Blushing hardly, the archer yells to get her point straight without any misinterpretation.

"Ah~Umi-chan~If you want to touch it so badly, you can just feel mine." Kotori is not helping. She make a dash while unbuttoning a few top buttons of her pyjamas, revealing her petite assets.

Seeing her 'indecent' mistress, the blood rushes to her face before finding exit through the nose. Umi faints instantly from the princess harmless attack.

"Umi-chan~You can't pass out from just looking~" Kotori whines before replace it with a small smile. _'You're hopeless, Umi-chan.'_ The grey haired girl take her protector head and put on her lap, wiping off the stains of nosebleed that had sent the archer to the heaven with the end of her pyjamas.

Watching from the side, Nozomi giggles. _'How cute. I wish I be able to be like that with Ayase-dono.'_ Her action doesn't go unnoticed by the other girl.

"Mou, Nozomi-chan! How many times I need to remind you to stop seducing my Umi-chan?!" The jealous girl pouts.

"Ara~Together already? Last thing I know was you were searching for some prince charming, yesterday by facts. So, Umi-chan is available, right?" Sounding so playful to the princess ears.

"No, she's not! Never! She will be mine no matter what." The girl grumbles. There is a imaginary raging fire behind her.

"Then, why don't you confess to her already? Things are getting complicated with both of you doing nothing." Surprisingly, it wasn't coming from the maid, instead it was her master who had woke up from all the noises.

"No way~Umi-chan has to do that part. I'm a princess after all." The maiden in love said, crossing her arms with a 'hmph' and turning her head to the other side.

"Who cares about some fairy ta...Wha! Why are you two showing y-your, your...I don't even want to say that?!" Pointing with her index as she enters the room. But thinking about it all over again, there's nothing worth mentioning it. Anything can happen when she come to this kingdom. _'Hah...I know I won't be getting my beauty sleep in this castle.'_

"So, why are you wearing that shirt?" Her question is direct to her personal maid, noticing she's not in her usual uniform. She can predict Kotori's situation has something to do with the purplehead girl and Umi collapsed can be relate to that.

"Oh, I kinda fell into the pond and Ayase-dono was lending her shirt. I think you can get the picture already." The older maid said, stuck her tongue cutely while rubbing her back of head.

"I get it. You won't fit it in, it's in Eri size after all." The crimson heiress let the thought wanders before something hit her.

"You met Eri?" A lover fate perhaps.

"Uhh...yeah. Was I not allow to?" There a hint of sadness in Nozomi voice. She fidgets under two pairs of curious gaze.

"I don't really care. Do what you want." Shifting her violet orbs elsewhere, she thought _'I was hoping some reaction other than that hurt puppy eyes.'_

"A-Anyway, where is she?" Maki looks confuse as the owner of the room is not even there.

"Oh, she just jumped out earlier." The maid said, nonchalantly.

"Jumped?!"

**Outside the castle,**

"Ergh...I think I sprained my leg." Walking aimlessly around the castle, Eri find herself standing in front of the Garden of Glasses. _'Might as well search for some clues.'_ The knight then went to the bushes opposite to the pond.

Looking around for some minutes, she's nearing give up until she see something hidden in one of the bushes. Crouching, she takes it out. It just a small package. _'Is this a present?'_ Stating the obvious since the package wraps neatly with a big 'Happy Birthday' written on it.

"Is the stalker planning something dangerous for Kotori? I won't let it happen, I must investigate." The moment she pick the gift up, she smell a faint sweet scent from it.

"Ah! Why am I still smelling that scent nya!?" A certain orange-haired girl enter the glasshouse. It's Hoshizora Rin. A couchwoman of the royalty who right now had a long hose circling around her neck, accompaning by a bucket full of soils in her small hands.

"Is it your turn today, Rin?" The blonde stands, facing to the feline. Not minding the girl appearance.

"Nope, it's Kayo-chin but Rin is off duty for today so I offer my help to tend the lilies."

"Oh, anyway, the scent you've been smelling, is it coming from this?" The swordwoman shows the gift to the other. _'Umi did said something about she's having a sharp nose.'_ Eri thoughts.

Taking steps closer to sniff, the small girl says, "It definitely emits the same scent as the one I've smell at the gate. So, why do you ask, Eri-chan?"

"Rin. We're going for adventure today." Clasping both sides of the cat-like girl, her blue sapphire pierce the yellow orbs.

"Ehh! Really?! Let's go right now nya!" The eyes are sparkling, Rin don't even questioned the sudden suggestion. All in her mind was the excitement for the adventure. When her body almost crossing the boundary between the entrance and outside world, the sword wielder stops her.

"Wait! I've some business to finish first. Why don't we meet in front of the gate later? You too have lilies to take care right?. The knight gives a crooked smile. Her business had something to do with bathing that she haven't gotten since Umi tend to let her mind go beyond normal.

"Oh yeah! I have works to do here nya! Ahahaha...Then, see you later, Eri-chan." Coming back inside, the orange girl prepares her things.

**Conference room,**

"According to this newest statistic, your business currently on the top in making profit for my kingdom. I guess you can get fifty percent from what we'd gained." Tapping the economic file with her pen, the South princess read the information from it. It's been since forever for Otonokizaka Kingdom and the South Kingdom to still trade their own business to gain income for each other.

"Well, yours are also needed here, Maki-chan. Though it's not high in market but we can still give you thirty percent from it, right Umi-chan?"

"Hmm...thirty is fine however raising five more percent won't hurt either. I did heard there are troubles in one of the factories." The bluenette scans the kingdom report, calculating it very careful in her mind.

"Wha! H-How did you know about that, Umi-dono?" The crimson heiress shocked as the archer knew about that issue.

"Rumours do travel faster in this castle, Maki-ojou. Mind telling us what exactly happened?" Reverting back to the formal mode as they are on the kingdom business.

"Huh...Nothing escape you, Umi-dono." The princess sigh defeated before continue, "There's nothing big happen really, just the equipments in one of the research facilities had been sabotaged. So, they're seized to function at the moment and the investigation still in progression." Maki relief, having someone to listen about her problem can lift up the burden a bit.

"Don't worry, everything's going to be fine, Maki-chan." The other princess rubs the girl's back.

"Yeah...We can support you through money but it's better to seek help from the East Kingdom. They're good in machinery." Umi said, placing the report into one of the cabinets.

"Thanks for the advice." The red girl smile secretly.

'KNOCK!'

'KNOCK!'

All three turn, facing the door. The big door open and reveal a middle-aged man behind it.

"Sorry for the intrusion. I need assistance in my department, Kotori-sama." The blue hair man with glasses on his face said, bowing his head a little. He has been working in the palace as the supervisor in design for the kingdom.

"Okay! I'll be there in a minute." The heiress give a sweet smile. The man again bow before leave, expecting the ash-brunette princess to follow.

"Well, time for work. See you two later Maki-chan, Umi-chan!" Kotori bounce from her seat and walk in fast pace, catching up with the supervisor.

"Wow, never expect her to be working after her birthday already." Impress, the red hair girl stands before heading toward the near window.

Following the suit, the blue archer look outside through it. "I see there's no reason for not working just because of your birthday."

"And...you're the one suggesting that?" The violet orbs glance and see a nod from the bluenette. She chuckles. "So, you're the powerful one here."

"Huh?" The amber eyes turn to the heiress, full of confusion. She cocked her head to the side.

"I noticed you've been doing all the kingdom important matters. You aren't try to take over this castle, do you?" Placing her index on her lip, try to hide a smirk which can be seen through.

"What?! Why would I want to betray Kotori-sama? Who gives you that idea?" Umi voice sounds intimidating. She frowned, thinking whose plant that sick idea into Maki mind.

The crimson princess facepalmed. "Geez, Umi...I don't say you're attempting any invasion on this palace. What I mean is you've been doing the work like a real king would." The last word came out as whisper but still caught by Umi ears.

Caught off guard by that, the archer face become hot. "W-Wait! I-I'm not doing something like that! I'm just helping Kotori-sama." Since yesterday was already over, Umi reverts back to call Kotori with her title, much to the princess dismay.

Before Maki can pursue another statement, the bluenette cuts her first. "This conversation is over!" Turning her head back to the window. Suddenly, her amber spots few familiar figures at the gate.

"Hey, Maki. Look!" Follow the pointed finger, the heiress seems interested on what she see.

"Isn't that..."

**At the gate**,

"You should tell me if you're going somewhere. I could prepare something for you to eat along the way." The timid girl try to sound angry but fail because of her own softness.

"Don't worry nya! We can find any ramen stalls if we're ever get hungry, right Eri-chan?"

"Y-Yeah...sure." The blonde said but in her mind _'I need something healthy'_ while putting rein on her cremello stallion.

"Fine..." The maid mumbles before continue. "You two aren't going to use the carriage?"

"We're going for adventure, Kayo-chin. What's the point using a carriage nya!" The feline puff her cheeks only to earn a small giggles from her friend.

"I'm just asking." Eri smiles seeing the two youngster but soon her peripheral vision caught a certain purplenette.

"Koizumi-san!"

Turning to the source of voice, Hanayo smiles. "Toujou-san! How's the costume? Is it fit?" Those questions get their answer by eager nods.

"Yes! Where did you get my..." Her words stray as her turquoise eyes spot the swordwoman. "Oh, Ayase-dono! I don't notice you earlier."

The knight smiles but evidently there's hurt in her eyes. "You look nice."

"T-Thank you." The older maid lower her gaze, avoiding meeting the sapphire. She refrains herself from twirling her body around to show her crush how the new maid costume hugged her curves perfectly.

Gazing the maid become shy in front of her, her eyes soften. "Sorry about this morning. We didn't mean to wake you up like that." Express an apologetic face, the sword wielder struggles mentally, blocking any inappropriate images from the morning.

"No! It's mine to begin with. I'm the one who should be apologized." Brought her head up, fix her eyes to the blonde. Unknown to anyone, both of their breath hitched for a moment.

Before Eri argues, Rin yells. "Eri-chan hurry up nya! You're not going to survive if its getting dark later." Flustered, she hides her face behind her palm. Her greatest weakness has been reveal to her secret sweetheart.

"Heh~Ayase-dono...Do you afraid of..."

"No!" Eventhough she deny it, her crimson cheeks has give it away. The horse behind her snorted. "Oh, shut up, Atlas!" The knight pulls the rein too hard, making the poor stallion bow down.

"Atlas?" Nozomi throw a question to the swordwoman who has been headbutts by the horse for a few times. Like others, the name make her feel uneasy.

"That's Eri-chan horse. It has a same meaning as strength in Greek mythology, that's what the girl who named him said to me." The shorter maid explains.

_'So, it wasn't Ayase-dono who named it.'._ Knowing that, the maid consume with jealousy since this so called mysterious girl got privileged to name her beloved cremello.

Seeing dark aura surround the purplehead maid, Rin leans to whisper with her friend. "Nee, Kayo-chin, why don't we tell Nozomi-chan that she'd named it nya?"

"We can't, Rin-chan. We promised Umi-chan." The maid bewilder by the feline suggestion.

"Its fine. She's not going to know nya!"

Rustling in the air only be hear by the two youngster as something past between Rin neck in incredible speed. Turning slowly, they could see an arrow stuck on the ground. Frantically, both of them make a zipping sign on their mouth. Meanwhile, the knight and the maid stay oblivious.

"You're going somewhere, Ayase-dono?" Nozomi approach, gaining attention of Eri's horse. It stares the purplenette intensely.

"Yeah, I'm searching for someone."

"Is this someone very important?" The maid now stands few inches from the knight.

"Very." Yet again, unseen dark aura appear around Nozomi. As an animal, Atlas feels it, he then headbutt his owner...hard before trots to the other girl. He lower his muzzle and start nuzzling the girl cheeks.

"What was that for?!" Her head still spinning from the cremello attack. The swordwoman notices her stallion warming up to the maid. _'Aren't you not suppose to like people?'_

Her movement stopped when she saw the purplehead girl are not in danger, instead she was laughing from the tickles. Being a knight in shining armour, Eri steps forward, stopping the innocent assault of her horse.

"That's enough, boy. We're going." Reaching the rein as the blonde is trying to lift her body but been stopped by a tug on her white cape. Jerk her head to a side, the delicate hand belongs to her adorable crush.

"Are you going to come back by night?" The emerald-eyed girl give a kicked puppy look which could send the knight straight to heaven if she hadn't control her emotion.

Silently sigh, she shake her head. "I doubt I can fine her within a day...unless I have something to look forward to." The sword wielder tries to sound playful but it turns to be a hopeful tone.

"Yes! Please come back! I'm going to cook for you." Flustered by the maid eagerness, the swordmaster tries to calm down her fast heartbeat. Her wish is granted.

"Really?"

"Um...as a thank for helping me." Nozomi lower her head, embarrass by her early excitement.

Smile inwardly, the knight take hold the maid hand which clenching her cape and bring it to her lip, kissing its knuckles. Feeling a sudden touch, the jade travel upward only to meet with a seductive lapis lazuli. Every words from the maid caught on her throat.

"Well then, I really should be going now. Wouldn't want to miss that special cooking I'm gonna receive." Satisfy by the effect she has on the girl, she let go her hand and reach the rein, pulling her body up to sit on the cremello stallion.

"Hey, Rin. Lets go." Hearing no reply.

"Rin?"

"Oh, yeah! Lets go nya! Hahaha..."

"Hmm, are you okay? You've been quiet for some time now." The blonde turn, facing the cat-like girl with a curious look.

"I'm okay nya! Rin just quiet to save some energy, right Kayo-chin?" A line of sweats trickling down from the orange girl forehead. She's now pleading and in need of her childhood friend help.

"A-Aah..y-yeah..." Though it's not very convincing, Eri just let it slide.

"If that so, lets go then." Before she could kick the horse to move, she heard her crush spoke.

"Be careful."

Swirl her head to look on the fidget violet girl, the swordwoman cast a genuine smile. "I will."

Soon, both riders dispatch. Their horses trot slowly before galloping, disappear from the maids sight.

Bringing up her warmth knuckles, she placed her lip on the same spot as the knight earlier. "I can make do this for today." Her heart's beating faster than usual.

Hanayo who happened to see this suppose unseen act, let out a little squeal.

Nozomi notices this. Her face suddenly become redder and hot, she hides both her hand at her back. "Oh, Koizumi-san! I-I forget that you are here."

And the atmosphere become awkward and tense.

_'S-Somebody help me!'_

**Back to the conference room,**

The room is silent. Stood there were two young ladies near the open window. The bluenette placed the bow back to its place. Her demeanour remain calm.

"You don't have to do that extremely." The voice from the red heiress reverberate in the room.

The archer gives a sceptical look. "I don't think it's any different than what you did yesterday."

"What! This and that are totally to different things. You almost kill her with an arrow."

With one hand at the waist, Umi turns her body and proudly state that, "Just to let you know I'm one of the top archers in this kingdom."

Growl. The princess let out a 'hmph'. "Cocky!"

"Hehe, you don't have to worry, Maki. I know where to shoot. I already warned them. That shoot just to spice thing up." The bluenette chuckles.

"Hmm, what you do to them doesn't matter to me. Please don't hurt them to much." There are traces of red hue on the wealthy girl cheeks.

"Roger that, Maki-ojou." Umi closed her eyes, leaning her back against the wall.

"What do you thing about those two?" The redhead girl crossed her arm, staring to nothingness.

"Well, from what I saw they did act like strangers but at the same time they're not. Sheesh, how I suppose to put it..."

"Their hearts still connecting eventhough they forgot about each other, that was it, right?" Maki finish it off.

"Simply said this going to be troublesome. No matter what we're going do, the pain is inevitable." The archer calmly said that.

_'Pain...huh..'_

"Umi...I went to the garden yesterday. Did you do something to it?" The sorrow in the heiress voice don't go unnoticeable by the protector.

"The garden?" It's true the soldier was on duty the day before the party, however she did nothing to change anything in it. So, she just shake her head. "Nope. I don't think so. What about it?"

Maki face become solemn. "I smelled her. Though it faints, but still, its hers. Tell me Umi...Am I being a delusional?" The desperation in crimson girl voice tighten . the bluenette heart as well. But she has nothing to offer.

"Maki...I-"

"Stop! Don't say anything." The princess kinda stuck both her hand and push the archer, her face exactly. She then turns and kneel down. The girl evidently tried to hide her tear although settle it with sobs.

Since the push took her by surprised, Umi tumbled down to the floor. She moaned in pain. _'Geez, what did I do to deserve this?'_

"Lets talk about something else. H-How about your night with Kotori. You slept with her, right?" The ruby mistress sounds very raspy.

"What!? No, I didn't! I just stay with her until she was sleeping. I don't do such act." _'Though I had to pretend I was asleep for a couples of minutes.'_

Umi hears a chuckle for the other side. The girl turns her head with a small smile. There stain of tears visible at the corner of her amethyst eyes.

"Coward as ever."

Sigh. "I let that one slide since I prefer to see this Maki." The bluenette slowly make way to the girl. With a clean handkerchief, she wipe off the remain tears. "You're still a crybaby after all these years."

"J-Just this once...you get to see me like this. Understood!?"

"Yeah, yeah. Wouldn't want people to know this crybaby Maki, right?" Umi smirk.

'CREAK..!'

From the moment the door was open, the young heiress throw herself into the archer open arms. She drape her face on the crooked of the girl neck, hiding the smudges on it.

"Sonoda-do-?! Wha! I'm sorry! I don't mean to intrude y-your in-intimacy!" Before the blue protector could say anything, the maid bolts out.

"That's going to be a problem, is it?" The hot breath from Maki tickles Umi.

Then, something reach the conference room from the open door, vibrating through every corner.

'Sonoda-dono is having a scandal with the South princess.'

Sigh.

"Indeed, it is."

**Hallways,**

The two maids walk silently, nobody dare to open their mouth until a rush maid suddenly bump with Hanayo.

"Wha!"

"Koizumi-san!" The other caught her on time. She glance to the unapologetic lady who keeps on running. She saw the lady face was brightly red in colour.

_'Did something happened?'_

"Ah! Thank you, Toujou-san." The young maid stable herself before letting go the purplenette hand.

"No problem, Koizumi-san." She gives her a sweet smile which the other haven't see it in long time.

"I-If you could..p-please call me Hanayo. I'm younger after all." The green-haired girl look down, staring at her shoes.

"Hanayo...Hanayo...Hanayo-chan? Is that okay?" Nozomi feels at the back of her mind to call the little girl like that.

"Yes! I pleasure to be calling that."

Amuse by the sudden eagerness, the older maid giggles. "Then, call me by my names too. We are maid after all."

"Yes, Nozomi-chan!" Surprised by the nickname, the violet maid can't help but feels warm inside her heart.

"You guys peek my curiosity." Maki's maid spoke, earning a puzzled look from Kotori's. "You guys seem very close with each other. I mean with the princess and all."

"Well, we are childhood friends, hahaha...You might see us as very laid back but we do know how to be professional at the right time." A light chuckles from the small maid.

"Can you tell me more? I-If I'm not intrude anything..." The green-eyed pleading despite saying that.

"There's no harm in it. So, I guess it's fine." Secretly grin, Hanayo pump her hand a little.

_'Mission one start now!'_

Apparently, the three stooges had planned some secret mission after Umi warned them not to reveal anything to Nozomi. Still they were allowed to help the girl regain her memories using other ways.

And the first one is to tell everyone background.

"Okay, let start with Kotori-chan since she's the princess here. What do you think about her, Nozomi-chan?" The maid starts her important task.

"Purely innocent." Shortly state. _'When there's no presence of Umi-chan.'_ She continue in her thought.

"Em, she also very hardworking."

_'When it come to that particular someone.'_ The purplehead can't help but respond sarcastically in her mind.

"Though she haven't be crowned yet, but she already been involved in the business." That statement had taken Nozomi aback for a moment. The greyish princess seems to strike her as a fun and enjoy person who doesn't really has any responsibility. So, she might see the heiress in a new light even for a little.

"Oh, and Umi-chan always help her though she belongs to the army." Hanayo continues.

_'Nothing surprising in that.'_ The violet maid then pursues next question. "How did they met?"

"Since Umi-chan grown up in the army, she often see Kotori-chan when her father meetings with Minami-himesama. Sonoda family is the only noble who stay loyal to this kingdom until now." The green maid bow slightly when a group of scholars passing through them.

"Hmm...passing generation, I see..." The other girl mutters to herself.

"But Honoka-chan story is funny." The young one suddenly said, startled the purplenette.

"Ho-no-ka?"

"Yes. She a head chef here. Oh! Maybe we can ask her to lend the kitchen. You want to make something for Eri-chan, right?" Hanayo face brighten up, her suggestion seems very flawless to Nozomi.

"Please tell me about her."

_**At certain time in the past,**_

_The light penetrates through the canopy of forest, illuminates it surrounding. In the middle of it, there was a little girl, a long sleeve shirt clad onto her small body, her short orange-browned hair barely hide the collar of the red shirt._

_"WHERE AM I?!"_

_The blue eyes scanned through the unfamiliar jungle, try to locate where to go for umpteenth times since she was seeing a same view all over again._

_"I should be home by now, mom is not going to like this." The girl was doing an errand for her mother when she thought by entering the woods can be a shortcut to reach her house. Unfortunately, she got lost._

_Without any direction, she just walked where her legs took her. Finally, she found an exit although it's not the one she want._

_The azure orbs widen. A big gate stand in her view. She was mesmerized, slowly went along the wall until she saw a small size hole which she could fit in. It lead to the inside of the barrier_

_Her eyes twinkled._

_'Is not everyday you can get to sneak into the castle.' The little girl crouched and enter it._

_There, she looked into a spacious empty space. She was at the backyard of the castle which will build a glasshouse in the future._

_Walking carelessly, she make way to the front only to be stop when she saw two unknown figures. One has a long blue silky hair and the other has ashen coloured._

_The bluenette swung her bamboo sword in perfect angle, earning applauses from the cheerful girl. The little swordgirl flushed._

_Interested, the brunette kinda move forward, stepping on the stick laying on the ground for some cliche reason. The snapping sound attracted the two girls._

_"Who are you?" The bluenette spoke, pointing the bamboo sword to the intruder._

_"Ahahaha...I'm just a normal trespasser."_

_There's no sound or movement been made for few seconds._

_'Wait! I'm an idiot. Why am I confessing?!' The peasant girl wanted to bury her head in the ground, actually she halfway doing that._

_"Wha! Please don't kill yourself." The sweet girl stepped forward, shielding the 'trespasser' from the other girl. "Umi-chan, put that away."_

_"But, Kotori-sama..." The girl couldn't do anything, not against that puppy-eyed._

_The small princess kneeled, meeting her amber with the blue one. "Why are you here?" There's no anger in those voice which make the orange girl replied honestly._

_"I'm lost."_

_"Oh, don't worry. We can find the way back together, right Umi-chan?" The girl turn to see the confirmation._

_Sighed. "Tell me your name."_

_"K-Kousaka Honoka..."_

**Present,**

"Starting that day, Honoka-chan always sneak in, much to Umi-chan distressed. They become good friends though. But eventually Honoka-chan got caught by one from the patrol squad. Umi-chan tried to help, ending up she's the one who got scold." Hanayo tells with happy face.

"Well, that's unfortunate however she did become a chef, head chef to be exactly. How's that happened?" Nozomi giggles from the story.

"Umi may not be any help but there was someone who witnessed it and make offer to the soldier to let Honoka-chan go as he took her to work in the kitchen since they were short-handed as the punishment. Eventually, Honoka-chan interested in cooking and the Queen hired her." The young maid finish her story.

"How spiritual. You got lost but somehow you get friendships and passion in return." The violet maid mumbles while smiling.

Watching from the side, Hanayo too is smiling. She can feel the calm and mature aura that used to be emit by the person beside her.

"How about you, Hanayo-chan? What makes you become maid?" The emerald eyes now focus on the small girl.

Closing her eyes, the green maid reminisce her past. "A promise."

**Somewhere on the road**,

A pitter patter on the the ground are coming from four pairs of horse hoof. The riders seems to enjoy the ride, despite looking for someone.

"Are you sure this is the way?" The blonde pop up a question. They already pass the small town, nearing the border of East Kingdom.

"Rin's sure nya! Merry said it too." The black mare underneath her give out a loud neigh. "See!" The cat-like girl grin.

They continue to trot in slow pace. The knight let her mind wanders to a certain maid. She remember her act on the poor girl.

_'Erghh...Why I do something like that? It's embarrassing.'_ Hiding her beet red face on the stallion white mane. She heard he growls softly.

"Hey, Eri-chan. What are you thinking about Nozomi-chan, nya!?"

"I-I'm not thinking anything!" As if she got caught while thinking about her crush.

"Is that so..." The feline obviously dejected.

Again, Atlas rumbles. "What is it, boy? You've been doing that a lot." For a moment, the swordmaster see a glimpse of silver.

"Rin, watch out!"

Shock by the yelling, the orange-haired girl turns her head as an arrow missed her neck that was shot straight to her.

"Uwaa! I don't even say anything dangerous yet."

Unfortunately, the missed arrow had startled the poor mare. She reared, making Rin fall. The horse then run away.

"Wait! Merryyyy!"

Ignored Rin unlogical statement, the sword wielder closed the gap between her. Picking the girl up, mount her stallion. Her sword was no longer in its sheath.

Soon, a group of bandits come out from the tall grass beside the road. They are surround. Mostly have bow in their hand.

"Looky, looky, someone from the palace. I wonder how many fortune we can make for exchange of your safety." A large main with eyepatch on his right step out, assuming he's the leader.

"I would say none." Eri answer, giving a cold stare to the man. She absolutely can survive by herself but now there's Rin to be consider.

She then take a drastic measure.

"Rin, go back to the palace." The rein now in the young couchgirl hand. Before the feline can say anything, the blonde kick her horse, making him gallops.

"Take care of her, Atlas." The knight jump off the cremello.

Obey his master, the horse run straight back to the palace. Rin managed to shout before disappear. "I'll call back up nya!"

Standing on the middle of road. Eri takes her fighting stance. Her sapphire eyes focus on the group in front of her.

"You think I let that girl escape? Well, think again. Boys!" Two of them make way forward while some archers are shooting at the swordwoman to distract her.

Much to the bandits displeasure, the knight deflects the arrows rather quick and make a dash to the two forward, knocking them out cold.

"I wouldn't let you move forward than this." The blonde stand on her ground. She can't allow the bandits to pass through since there a town behind her. That's why she sent Rin away so she can secure this area.

"Hehehe, you just make things harder." The leader said, fishing out his sharp pocket knife. The underlings behind him are preparing for barrages.

With one swift move of his fingers, the attack begin.

_'Thanks for the morning practise, Umi.'_ Years training with the archer proved to be worthy. These arrows are slow and predictable unlike the bluenette. Fast and random.

The sword wielder steady make way to the archers despite their attacks. Tilting her long sword, she hit them hard and accurate with the hilt on their head.

_'No reason to kill these worthless.'_

Sneakily, the leader tried to position himself before jump to the knight. Luckily, she manages to avoid the sneak attack.

Pry away the knife with her blade, she grabs the man shirt and slam him to the ground. There's no need of retaliation since Eri has point her blade near the man beating heart. His eyes now full of fear.

"Alright, alright, you win. We retreat." The man voice sounds shaken.

"I can't get you off hook that easily. There is no guarantee that you wouldn't attack others later. Maybe some compensation can make me believe." The sword slowly move the left side, onto the man dominant hand.

Wince, the tip of the blade press the epidermis of his skin. Accepting the cruel fate, he said to the knight.

"Cut it off, if that would make you feel better." Maybe deep down, he wanted to escape from this stealing and kidnapping business and this blonde swordwoman might be able to help him accomplish that.

But soon, the wish been bury again when one of his underlings rise from his fallen. Stagger, snatch the knife that was laying on the dirty ground and slash the back of the royal soldier, below her shoulder.

Missed the man hand, the sword stab deep in the ground. Eri grunts. Her grip on the man loosen as her red blood gush away from the open cut.

Seeing this gold opportunity, the bandit leader connect his knuckle with the knight skull. She thrown to the ground, hitting her back to it.

The pain was unbearable. The punch had her a concussion. The world spins making her confuse. Last thing she see is a blinding white light before she be consume by darkness.

_'I'm sorry...'_

_'Toujou-san.'_

**_TO BE CONTINUE..._**

Thanks for reading.


	4. Chapter 4

Happy Valentine's Day-no chocolates though~

**Disclaimer: I do not own Love Live.**

**_A Knight's Princess._**

_It's a chaos. Whole palace seems to take a hit from the shocking news as well. No one knew what exactly happened or how._

_The queen sent out a troop to investigate. But it was pointless. There's no traces, evidences or eye witness. There's...nothing._

_Walking through the hallway, all I heard were agonized cry, seeing despair look, feeling a heavy sadness all over the palace._

_Though I intended to stay calm, my pace had increased. Eventually, I don't even noticed I was running._

_'BONK'_

_"Oww..." I had bumped into someone. That someone is my own father. The one I admired and want to be._

_"Hey, little toddler. You shouldn't be running in the hallway." I muttered some apologizes soon earned a toothy grin from him._

_"As long as you understand." He pat my head which rarely be done._

_Later, two soldier approached him. They discussed something for a minute. He then turned to me, kneeling until our eyes level was the same._

_"What is it, father?" I couldn't wait from him to speak up. It didn't take long for him to answer._

_"Well, I just heard that little princess has calm down and now is asleep." I saw his eyes soften, there a hint of sadness though._

_"The other girl is not very good. Go to her, support her. She need you right now, my little one." His smile comfort me. Nod, I make way to my room. No, our room._

_'KNOCK'_

_'KNOCK'_

_"Eri-chan, I'm coming in." Swung the door, I saw something frightening. The blonde was standing on the railing of the balcony. When she about to jump..._

_"Stop, Eri-chan. What are you thinking doing this kind of act?!" I managed to wrap my arm around her waist, straining her to go further._

_"Let me go. Let me join her. I'm her knight after all. A knight must be by his princess side." We struggled from each other. Her words struck me._

_It's a pain to know what happened. It's a pain to see her becoming like this. It's a pain to not be able to do something._

_I can feel my eyes watering. No, I musn't. I can't let anyone to see me cry. I need to stay strong. For me. For them._

_I am Sonoda after all._

**Chapter 4: A Smile In Prison.**

"HOW DARE YOU PUT ME IN HERE! DON'T YOU KNOW WHO I AM?" No one seems to pay attention to the girl in the corner. Everyone here gathered to wait for one thing.

Judgement.

The black-haired girl, crossed her leg. She may calm down for a moment. "Tch, I know I shouldn't save her."

**_Two days before,_**

_A grilling sound, chopping noises, boiling screaming are all combine in one place. The kitchen. Right now, all the staffs busy preparing for dinner meals._

_"Are you sure you don't mind me using this afterward?" The woman sat on a stool near the door, watching others worked._

_"It's fine, Nozomi-chan. You can use this kitchen as much as you want."_

_Apparently, these two had hit off very nicely. Honoka friendliness make the purplenette easy to interact with. Maybe hearing her background story had something to do with it._

_As hours passed, a sudden siren rang in every corners of the palace. Nozomi could see the faces worn by the worker turned sour and worried._

_"What happened?" She asked._

_"Emergency. That's rarely happen." The brunette expression hadn't change, instead she smiled brightly._

_"Everyone, let's give our best in cooking today. We're not going to let them come back having an empty stomach, right?!" She received an 'Ooh!' answer from her staffs._

_'A leader indeed.' The maid thought. She then excuse herself and strode along the hallways until she reached the reception hall._

_Slightly peeking through the open door, she saw two familiar figures. One with orange-haired, having a difficulty in breathing and the other one is the blue archer, kneeling beside the girl while rubbing her back._

_The violet-haired girl seemed to notice the hefty cremello. Curiously, she swirled her head left and right but the one she wanted to see was nowhere to be seen._

_'No...don't tell me...' She's panicking._

_"Where's Eri?" Nozomi gave all her focus on the two as her crush being the subject of their conversation._

_"Huff...We were surrounded...Eri..huff...She..." The bluenette gave some time for the feline to catch a breath before continue. Later, the girl told Umi everything._

_"I'll prepare the squad. Please rest assure." The archer boots clicked on the pathway. When she about to disappear..._

_"Wait! I'm going with you nya! Rin can show you the way." The coachgirl offered her help._

_"Rejected. It could be dangerous." Though she said that, the protector was perplexed on where her soldier-in-arm location._

_Sensed the inner turmoil, a pair of emerald looked at the horse which was grazing the nearby grass. Soon, the stallion stared back. After a couple of minutes, he started walking to Umi._

_Poking the bluenette head, he lower his head. "You're going to help me, Atlas?" Since the horse only fond to the blonde, his action surprised the archer. Answered by a low neighed, Umi mounted the cremello._

_The squad were ready, equipped with refine sword on the left side of the waist. Some with a bow and arrows on their back. They all waiting for the order. The leader was none other than the Sonoda. Wrapped by the sturdy bow and arrows on her back, she added a medium size of black blade on her side._

_Giving a few words, they rushed out of the palace._

_Still watching, Nozomi prayed._

_"Please be safe, Ayase-dono."_

**_Other place,_**

_The sweet and pleasant aroma trickled the blonde nose, waking her up from deep slumber. The sapphire was stared by three pairs of rubies. Since she still had lightheaded, she could only blinked._

_"Oh, she awake. Kokoa, go and tell onee-chan." The little girl with dark brown haired with a pony styled tied by red ribbon bounced, walking before disappeared behind the curtain._

_The knight looked back at the one who gave the order. She looks no different than the last one only differ in the hair coloured which also tied in pony tailed with yellow ribbon but on the other side of head. She had a calm demeanour._

_Eri tried to sit up but been pushed back to lay on the futon. "Don't move too much. Your wound might be open again." Two soft pillows were under her head, elevating the swordwoman so that her wound won't touch what's underneath it._

_'That's pretty clever.'_

_Later on, the blonde realized a young boy with a red toy hammer in his hand, still staring at her. The azure connected with him. Suddenly..._

_"Itai!" The pain on the head make the sword wielder sit up straight. 'So much for not moving.'_

_"Ah! Kotarou, don't hit her with that." The girl snatched the toy away, lifting up the boy as well._

_'Well, too late for that.' Since she already sit up, she scouted her surrounding. It seemed the knight been treated in a small room. There's not much decoration in it. Just a simple and plain room contained basic furniture such as closet and futon._

_'This is extremely poor.' As Eri thought that, the white curtain been pulled, revealing the same little girl earlier and now had an accompany with her._

_The latter seemed to have the same rubies like other. Her height weren't any difference either...okay, she might be a little bit taller. Her black hair styled in twintailed, making the knight anxious at the moment._

_"So, you finally wake up. Hihihi. Behold the saviour of your life, you should be thanking me for saving your sorry butt...or should I say...back? Either way, bow to me and worship me forever." The girl said, stretching out her right arm forward while the other on her hip._

_Saviour or not, the swordmaster found this situation to be ridiculous. Not to mention the smug on that 'kid' face irked her to no end. However, being grateful to the one saving her, she stood and held the girl hand for a shook._

_"Thanks for saving me back there."_

_"Hmm...Not to be rude, but a hoard of gold would be a good gift, if you know what I mean. Your treatment aren't free." The twintailed girl face was very contradicted with what her said, since she was smiling brightly as if nothing wrong with that statement._

_"Onee-chan...you're being too blunt." The little black haired girl sighed._

_"It's fine. I can give you that." When the blonde about to turn away from the older one, she caught a sniff of sweetness, a familiar one, on the girl._

_"You..."_

_"Oh, you finally notice! Heh~took you so long, Er-"_

_"You! You're the stalker yesterday!" The sword wielder tightened her grip._

_"What!? I rather been called anything but that! Oww! Hey! You're crushing my hand! Can you just let yesterday go? I meant no harm." The girl greeted her teeth, writhing in pain. All the little ones were panic._

_"Of course not. What did you planned on doing to Kotori-ojousama?" The swordwoman twirled the girl around, locking her head._

_"I give up. You know I won't do anything to Kotori. Geez, nobody tells me you're good in acting."_

_"What are you talking about? I'm not acting." The knight wished she had her blade by now. She saw it was in the corner of the room._

_"Huh? Then, can you let me go now, Eri? You're kinda choking me here." She gave a light chuckle._

_The sapphire orbs widen. Suddenly, the two crushed on the floor. "How do you know my name?" Her voice now was nothing but intimidated._

_"Ergh...What give? Of course I know. We are friends." She barely lift her face with Eri's palm pushing her head._

_"You're lying. I don't even recognized you nor know what's your name." The three childs were hitting the swordmaster back. The pain weren't felt by her since she's in rage mode._

_"Well then, does Yazawa Nico ring any bell to you?"_

_"Unfortunately, there is no bell, so no."_

_"What about royalty from West Kingdom?"_

_"That's just a lame lie. The kingdom doesn't exist."_

_"It does!" Nico groaned. Her body ached._

_"It doesn't!" The two argued for a while._

_"How about Nico-Nico-Nii!?"_

_"The heck!? That's it. You're coming with me." Eri stood, lifting the poor girl up and put her on the shoulder. She strode to the corner, taking her long sword. Ignored the three toddler, she exited the house or more like abandoned hut._

_The sapphire looked around, seeing they were in the forest. "You lived in the forest. What are you, caveman?"_

_"I'm not! We have reasons and aren't caveman live in a cave? Now, put me down!" The black haired girl kept on struggling, much to the knight annoyance._

_Spotting a black horse tied up from afar, the sword wielder walked toward it._

_"Merry?" The horse responded. "What now? Stealing our horse?" She casted a side glance._

_"Hell no! I'm just found her running along the road without a rider. Lucky for you that I went to check up with her. So, let me go!" The red-eyed girl wriggled on the knight shoulder._

_"This and that are difference, which mean you're going with me whether you're like it or not." The blonde noticed a few sacks laying around. Taking one of it, she gave a devil smile to Nico._

_"W-What are you going to do?!"_

**_Somewhere nearby,_**

_The whole squad scattered to search some clues about their missing comrade. The leader stood at a place where there was a pool of visible blood._

_'Is this yours, Eri?' Umi grimed from the thought._

_"Sonoda-taichou, the east squad had made their investigation. Nothing abnormal been seen so far." One of the soldiers saluted her while giving his report._

_"Don't stop looking." The leader said._

_"Yes!" The guy ran back to his position._

_'Where are you?' The bright orange-coloured in the sky slowly became darker._

_The archer then heard audible thumping of noise. Letting her guard up, she summoned the archers._

_"All archers, take your place." Soon, they were ready. Stretching the arrows and focus anything that will come in front of them._

_The sound were getting louder. That's blueshifted effect no wonder. All the soldier stiffened. The one who unfazed was Umi. She was concentrating on the road in front. Then, she caught a yellow tresses in her peripheral._

_"Hold!" The bluenette raised her dominant hand. But some of them panicked and let the arrow fly on its course._

_The figure in front dodged them easily._

_"Lucky, you're not the one who shoot it."_

_"Eri..." The archer gave a worried look to the knight._

_"I know, I know. I tell you later but for now could you send some men into the forest?"_

_"Hmm...what for?" The amber caught a view of a bulk light-brown sack._

_"I need them to take care some children in there." The swordwoman pleaded so that the archer won't ask further questions._

_Sighed. "Alright. You really want to go back before it get even darker, right?" Eri could only grinned. The protector pointed some of her men. Others followed her back to the palace._

**_The palace,_**

_'TAP!'_

_'TAP!'_

_'TAP!'_

_"Erm...Maki-chan..." The green maid said fidgety._

_"What?" Came out a stern toned._

_"Why are you getting angry nya!?" Yelped the cat-like girl._

_"I'm not! I'm just a little anxious. They are late." Her index twirled playfully the crimson hair._

_"Ohoho..Is it Maki-chan worried about Eri-chan and Umi-chan? What a playgirl. Two at once." Honoka shook her head with 'tsk' repeatedly said. Soon, she found herself growing a bump on the head._

_"Stop being ridiculous! Don't you need to be at the kitchen."_

_"Uuh...Maki-chan~You don't need to be so hard on me~" Rubbing her head to render the pain._

_"Oh, you guys are here too!" A high-pitched voice suddenly rang on everyone ears._

_"Ah, Kotori-chan nya!"_

_"Kotori-chan~please tell Maki-chan not to beat me."_

_"A-Are you here to wait for them as well?"_

_"Do you just finish your work?"_

_"Eh! Please...one question at a time." Kotori breathed out. Her face shown all her tiredness._

_"No. Don't bother. Why don't you take a bath and rest for awhile?" The wealthy heiress adviced the princess._

_"But, I want to see them as well." She fought._

_"You're going to make us worried. So, please take some rest. Umi won't be happy if you don't. Lets not make her worked up, okay?" The South princess pleaded._

_"Maki-chan, you really care about Umi-chan hah?" The mistress sighed defeatedly._

_"Of course I do. That's not really a question, right?" Maki turned her head aside, hiding her embarrassment._

_"So, the rumours are true..." Kotori mumbled to herself._

_Meanwhile, the trio only being the audience for the entire scene in front of them._

_"Hey, why does it seem like the aura getting tense and dark over there?" The chef asked._

_"Rin don't know. Maybe Kotori-chan is stress from all the work nya!"_

_"Rin-chan might be right. Anyway...Where Nozomi-chan?" The maid looked around._

_Followed the suit, the duo scanned every corner of the reception hall. Then, they said a same thing at the exact time._

_"Where is she?"_

**_Garden of Glasses,_**

_A violet-haired woman was sitting beside the pond where she fell the night before. It was also where she meet her destined one...or soon-to-be._

_'Somehow, sitting here make me feel calm. How spiritual. The air is soothing, telling me everything gonna be alright. I hope so too.'_

_The moment of serenity been interrupted by a soft chime this time. She could heard noises from these and there. She restrained her ears to listen carefully._

_"Hey, do you hear that Ayase-sama has return?"_

_"Haha, I know there's nothing to worry about. This Ayase-sama we're talking about. She always come back in one pieces."_

_"Well, yeah. I think this emergency thing is bullshit when anything concerning Ayase-sama."_

_"Hey, don't be nasty now."_

_Nozomi turned her attention back to the lilies. At least what she want to hear happened._

_'I should look for her.' The maid stand and walked away from the garden._

**_Reception Hall,_**

_"Eri-chan!"_

_The chef and the coachgirl jumped, only to be hit by the hilt of Umi's blade, which still unsheathed._

_"Please restrain yourself. Eri is hurt."_

_"She does? I don't see any injury." The maid took a good look on the blonde._

_"That's because I've already been treated." The knight said._

_Everyone were staring at the big sack on her shoulder._

_"Erm...Eri, may I ask what is that thing?" The red heiress pointed with her index. Hearing the spoken voice, the sack wriggled vigorously._

_"Well, we can have a nice chat later, Maki. It's good to see you again. I need to get this one into the detention room. Umi can explain to you guys the details." The swordwoman left, struggling with the 'moving sack'._

_The South princess watched the blonde go until she disappeared from her sight._

_"Umi, can I meet with the one who got caught by Eri earlier?" Maki asked. She got curious when she smelt something sweet from the sack._

_"Huh? Well, you can but you have to wait for another two days, that is after we done interrogate them." Umi said._

_"Why is that?" The amethyst-eyed girl asked._

_"Oh, we have this rule which any interrogation and interaction between the person who been held in detention with anyone is forbidden for three days after the royal birthday celebration." The bluenette explained._

_"Wait. You can work the day after but you can't do any investigation? What with that rule anyway?" The red-haired heiress crunched her pretty face. She can't gasp the rationality of that particular rule._

_"Aren't the job is too sad to be doing after the happy days?" The archer chuckled. Her face painted pink. She knew the reason was not strong enough to convince a deadpanned expression Maki gave. She also had questioned the rule itself but the one created it said it was needed. How can she said 'no' to that cute puppy face._

_"Why are you even interested? You barely know whoever it is." Tilted her head aside, the amber casted a curious look._

_"Nothing really, I just want to know how it feels like to meet those inside the detention room." The violet eyes avoid the latter orbs, playing with strand of her hair._

_"Then, Rin want to go too nya!" The feline suddenly spoke._

_"Hai! Hai! Hai! Me too! Me too!" The young chef excitedly raised her hand, jumping as well._

_"I-If that so..." But Umi cut Hanayo first._

_"Denied! I only allow Maki to enter it." The blue protector crossed her arms, her eyes became colder as those pierced straight to the trio._

_"What?! That's not fair, Umi-chan..." Honoka complained._

_"Yeah..You just want the prisoner all by yourself, nya!" Rin pouted._

_"That doesn't even make sense! That place only restricted to the soldiers and royalties. If you want to see them go to the visitor room."_

_"Boo..." The chef and the coachgirl slump dejectedly. They walked away._

_"Hope they really understand that at least." Umi massaged her spinning forehead. Sighed._

_"I-I sure they will. E-Excuse me..." The shy maid said before followed those two._

_The room became quiet._

_"Ehem. I think I want to hear what did happened actually." Maki broke the silence._

_"Oh, yeah...that...Erm, as I can understand, Eri been attacked by a group of bandits and hurt in the process. Someone saved her but the bandits got away. Apparently, her saviour turned out to be the stalker who had sneakily went inside the castle yesterday."_

_"Why would the stalker helped her if they end up here anyway?" The princess found that was strange for the stalker to be doing such thing._

_"Well, we can find out that later. Here, Eri said the culprit left this." Fishing out the small package from the pants, Umi showed the gift to Maki._

_"A birthday present?"_

_"Yes. I assume this was for Kotori-sama. I opened it already. It just a simple handmade handkerchief, nothing dangerous." The purple eyes fixed on the gift as the archer put it back into the pocket._

_"Now, talking about these...Where Kotori-sama?" The bluenette asked._

_"Oh, I told her to take a rest since she looked so tired." Said lazily as her mind still thinking that familiar handwriting._

_"Is that so...Then I better check on her. See you later Maki." Waving her hand, the protector strode away toward her mistress room._

**_Detention room,_**

_"HEY, YOU DON'T SERIOUSLY GOING TO PUT ME HERE, ARE YOU?!" The loud voice almost woke everyone in the room._

_"I never mention we playing a game anyway." Eri pulled the small stalker out of the sack and opened one of the cell, at the farthest corner. Tossed the black-haired inside. She quickly locked the door and walked away from the room without looking back._

_Recovered from the short 'flying', Nico ran and grabbed the bar, shook it like a madman._

_"YOU GOING TO GET THIS, ERI! I WILL PUNISH YOU BY THE NAME OF WEST ROYALTY!" She shouted which got yelled back by the prisoner there._

_Sighed defeatedly, the small girl leaned to the wall before slumped down on the floor._

_"Maki-chan is here, right?" Remembering the voice she barely heard earlier, she felt very nostalgic. "Hah...Now I really missed that voice so much. You will come to me right, Maki-chan..." She whispered as she slowly went to the Dreamworld._

**_Kotori's royal bedroom,_**

_'KNOCK!'_

_'KNOCK!'_

_"Kotori-sama..." Opened the door gently, Umi poked her head inside the room. She had to squint her eyes a little to see better. The amber immediately found a sleeping figure._

_Pushed the door, she tip toeing to the large king-size bed. The wind blown the curtain from the outside, giving a chance for the moonlight to shine dimly into the room. The ray fall onto the sleeping beauty face, revealed the pale skin, the buttoned nose and kissable lip._

_Calming the desire, the archer went to the left side of the bed. Sitting on the soft mattress, she swipe the ashen bang. She smiled before muttered, "You really are beautiful, Kotori."_

_"Hghn...Umi-chan?"_

_Froze. Umi mind was in panic. 'Did she heard that?' The bluenette peeked slightly and saw the princess was still half-asleep._

_Tried to check whether the image in front of her is real or not, the ash-brown haired girl reached her palm to cup the protector cheeks. The warm sensation revealed the truth. "You're safe..." She smiled._

_"Of course. No matter where I go, I will always come back to you." Umi said sweetly, placing her own hand on top of the latter's. Enjoying the touch, she slowly brought her lip to kiss the palm._

_"Hehe, that tickles, Umi-chan." Kotori giggled, fully awake by now._

_"I have to give something for the hard work my mistress done today." Earning a soft hummed from the princess._

_"Maki was right when she said you're tired. Maybe you should go back to sleep." Kotori frowned by this statement._

_"You meet her first before me?" She sounded agitate._

_"Hmm...she practically waiting for us in the reception hall with the others, so we are bound to meet. There isn't exactly an option." Umi said, not noticing the sad look on her super duper crush._

_"Of course there is! You could've enter from the back door and meet me first!" Instead of laying on the bed, the angry amber-eyed girl now sat up. Both her hand placed on the bluenette shoulder._

_"Huh? I was escorting Eri. Wouldn't that be weird?" The archer can't understand why they are having this conversation._

_"So, you're saying it was my fault for not wait you at the front unlike Maki-chan." The grey-haired barely kept her voice from getting higher._

_"Wha! I'm not blaming anyone. Why are you dragging Maki in this? Why are you even mad, Kotori-sama? Did you not feeling well?" Concerned, the protector tried to scoot closer but been held firmly by the latter._

_"Get out."_

_"Ko-Kotori-sama?!_

_"Get out of here, Umi-chan!" This time the princess shoved the archer as hard as she could mustered. The latter fell to the ground._

_"Kotori-sama what happened? You can tell me if anything is wrong." Umi still insisted though her mistress had pushed her away._

_"NO! YOU WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND! GET OUT! GO TO YOUR MAKI-CHAN!" Finally, all her patience ran out._

_The yell gave a shiver to blue-haired girl. She straight away stood up. If the yell pained her, the wet ambers crushed her completely. Knowing she can't do anything, she bowed down._

_"I'm sorry if I done anything wrong. But please...Maki has nothing to do with this." The bluenette slowly turned away, leaving the crying girl on the bed, she left the room._

_'In the end, you stand up for Maki-chan.' Kotori smiled sadly. Her flowing tears won't stop._

_'Umi-chan baka!'_

**_Hallway,_**

_The stomping of boots attracting anyone passing by. Some bowed, some just smile and others gave a thumbs up. The blonde could only smiled. She hoped to see a certain purplehead girl. But first, the knight really need to change her torned attire._

_Reaching her own room, she noticed the door was widely opened. Slowing down her pace, she leaned to the wall, taking a peek. The sapphire bored on the back of a clueless figure._

_"Okay, all done. I hope Ayase-dono will like it." Eri saw a glimpse of satisfied smile plastered on the face._

_"If I say yes, do I get anything?" The swordwoman stood in front of her room. Her coiled smile hardly missed._

_"Ah! Ayase-dono! You should tell me if you were here already." A cute pout formed on the maid face._

_"It wouldn't be a surprised otherwise." The sword wielder heart swelled with happiness by the sight in her room._

_"I'm the one supposed to give you the surprise." The violet haired girl sulking._

_Laughed inwardly, the blonde said playfully, "I thought there was a burglar tried to steal from me. She did left the door opened." Winking to the latter, the azure caught a red hue on the cheeks. 'You don't need to steal anyway, I probably give everything if you want.'_

_Nozomi was speechless. The knight action left her breathless. 'Aren't you the thief here? You already stole my heart.' Is not like she going to say it out loud though._

_"Mou...I'm sorry to barge your room without permission." The pout wouldn't leave._

_"Don't worry, I don't mind if you're going to set this thing up for me." The blonde gaze soften, she gave a reassure smiled._

_The purplenette had dimmed the light in the room, which she only used the bed lamp. The ambience seems to be romantic somehow, much to the swordwoman liking. Beside the bed were some trays, filled with delicious looking food. The maid had the idea to serve Eri dinner on the bed._

_"Before you eat this, I want to apologize for breaking my promise." The emerald looked down, feeling ashamed._

_"Oh, you did?" The swordmaster sounds disappointed._

_Nodded. "I'm not the one who cook this. It come warmly and freshly from the kitchen. The staffs were giving their best, I don't want to intrude them. A-And I don't even know your favourites food. What if I accidently cook something you don't like?" The maid face contour in distressed._

_"Chocolate. Anything with chocolates in it would be fine for me. They are my favourites." The knight step forward into the room. Her crush dejected state make her wanted to hug the girl._

_Gasped. The turquoise got full view of her first love. The pretty face got bruises on it. The wrapping bandages on her head loosen a bit. The most capturing sight was the torned clothes covered with mud._

_Without thinking, Nozomi rushed, taking the blonde hand and lead her to the bathroom. "You need to clean yourself, Ayase-dono."_

_"Erm...I can do this myself, Toujou-san." Feeling conscious when a pair of warm hand started to undress her, making her skin contacted with the cold air. The tinges of red were available on Eri cheeks._

_"No. You had a long day already. At least let me do this." The purplehead insisted, the torned shirt was thrown aside._

_"But you already prepared..." A whimper went out from the sword wielder mouth. She felt a sting on her back._

_"Your wound is reopen. We need to close it back before any affection happen. I'm going to take some of supplies from the medic room. Meanwhile, please take a shower." With that, the maid went out._

_Hearing the main door closed, the blonde released her breath which she unconsciously held. 'Who knows she has that serious side too.' Stripping her pant, she walked to the shower and turned the knob. 'That doesn't mean I hate it though.' The injured soldier smiled._

_The knight enjoyed the rest of her shower time, though it was hurting her back. Relinquished from all her soreness, she ready to go out but realized that she came into the bathroom without bringing any clean towel._

_Sliding the door a little, she let her sapphire scanning the outside area. Finding no giant purple, she pump her fist. Quickly make way to her medium-sized wardrobe, she started searching for a comfortable clothes._

_When she about to slip them on her body..._

_'CREAK...'_

_"Ayase-dono, are you finish?" The girl at the door stunned. A pair of emerald met the blue one before it travels downward, taking all the view of sexy bodyline displayed by the blonde._

_"-jou-san..Toujou-san!" Blinking her eyes for several times, the maid snapped out of the entrance._

_"Y-Yes?" Her voice came out hoarsely. All the blood rushed to the head._

_"Could you...um...turn around from a moment?" If Nozomi wasn't thinking straight, she could had jumped and hugged at the adorable sight of the tall soldier who was trying to hide her red face along her flushed naked body with a piece of clothes._

_Obeyed the plead, the purplehead back faced the latter's. A hasty rustled from the clothes was heard by her. When the sound stopped, a beautiful voice was heard._

_"Okay, you can turn back now."_

_Not need to hear the second one, the older maid swirled her body. In front of her was a topless knight, which only wearing a light blue bra, revealed the needed attend wound._

_Walked gracefully, she brought the trays to the other side of the bed, right in front of the swordwoman. She soon crawled onto the bed, taking her place at the back of the knight._

_"It won't taste good if it gets colder than it is. Go on and eat it while I treat your back." The hot breath on the tip of her ear make Eri shuddered in pleasure._

_"Okay." Though she managed to control her tone. She took the spoon and started to dig her dinner._

_The atmosphere was very quiet. It started to kill the sword wielder slowly. Bothered by the maid silence, not to mention also her fleeting touch on her fine body. When she about to break the silence..._

_'GRUMBLES~'_

_It came from her back. The azure casted a side glance which met with a cute and adorable sight of the embarrass face from the purplenette over her wide shoulder._

_"Sorry, I haven't gotten myself to eat since I'm worried about you." The last few words able to avoid from entering the blonde ear tunnel._

_Giggled. Eri swiftly scooped some of the soup and held in at the latter. "Why don't we share it? I don't think I can finish it alone."_

_The second noise didn't give time for Nozomi to argue. She scooted closely and took the filled spoon by her mouth._

_"Umm! It's delicious, Ayase-dono!" The maid cheerful face gave happiness to the swordmaster._

_"Indeed it is." She smiled. They continued to share the food until nothing left._

_"Now I'm totally full." The blonde soldier slammed her side to the bed, while the maid put the bandages and the antiseptic back to its kit._

_"Can you stay with me tonight?" The knight unconsciously said. The emerald gave a curious looked...or a shy one, maybe?_

_"I-I mean it's weird to sleep on my side and the room kinda look emptier if I do so..." Not to sound bolder by her request, the sword wielder hid half of her face on the soft pillow._

_"Only until you sleep though." The purple-haired girl lie on the bed, right beside the owner of the room._

_Eri was about to agree but on the second thought..." Hey, I feel cold somehow. Need some warmth." She quickly hugged the other girl, buried her head onto the maid well-developed chest, taking a short breath while on it._

_"Mou, just take a blanket Ayase-dono." Nozomi tried to escape the unplanned trap by the swordwoman. She pushed the girl head only to see the blonde already asleep. The work today finally took a toll on Eri._

_'You're not being fair, Ayase-dono. How am I suppose to sleep if my heartbeats won't slow down anytime sooner? You're going to be my death.' The purplehead snuggled told otherwise._

**Present...(Two days later**_)_

A girl inside her spacious room is getting ready for her duty as usual. Buttoning her dark blue shirt, pat away all the unseen dust. She then start putting on her white gloves. Leave the cape alone as she will be doing the job inside the palace today, she tightened her shoes. Satisfy with the appearance, she walks out the room.

A normal greeting be exchange as usual as the bluenette walks along the pathway to the detention room. She could hear some of the soldiers murmur about a certain prisoner being quite loud in the room. Well, that prisoner is going to be investigate by her today.

Arrive on the right spot, the keeper salutes and open the steel door which lead to the temporary prisoners.

"She's in the farthest corner." Said him, letting the archer walks in before closing it.

Umi walks with full of pride along the way. There also other soldiers here doing their on investigation. The prisoners are going to be release if they can prove they are innocence or face the royal punishment from the Queen if they can't. The worst one probably been sent to underground dungeon where they will be left to rot.

Shaking her head, the bluenette starts to focus on what she be question on 'this called stalker'. She won't be very forgiven if this stalker tries to hurt her precious princess. Reaching the farthest side of the room, she stood in front of the dark bar.

"Hey, are you still asleep? I need to take your testimony." Umi walks close to the bar, gripping it and start to squint her amber to see in the dark.

"Boo!"

Suddenly, a bright light shine behind the bar. The prisoner face appears right on the soldier, startling her. The bluenette jump from shock, landing her butt on the floor.

"Wha-What the heck?!" The shouting attract all people in the room. The archer turns her head aside, avoiding all the gaze while hiding her embarrass red face.

"Hahaha, you should look how the Great Nico-sama make you so jumpy and scare, Umi-chan." The familiar voice and nickname make the blue soldier snaps her head back to the jail.

The amber widen, taking all the new information in front of her. Stagger a bit when she tries to stand, her eyes never leave the figure.

"N-Nico?...or is it Nico sister?"

"Hey, you're trying to said I'm small!"

**Hallway,**

The two princesses are chatting happily. The chamber maids that are passing through think it very heartwarming sight. But there is a storm in one of the princess, unknown to them.

"So, you're going to the tailor workshop today as well?" The red-haired girl said.

"Um...sorry, I have to finish this new creation as soon as possible or else our trader will cancel the contract." Kotori look like a wounded puppy.

"It's fine. See you work hard, I also want to start doing it. I too should be going home. I think there's a pile of works waiting for me already." Maki sighs, thinking the later work she going to receive.

"That unavoidable. So, what are you going to do today?" The grey-haired mistress feels guilty for the bad treatment she give to the guest of her castle.

"I promised Umi to meet her today." The South princess sounds eager. She has been waiting for this very day to see the culprit who caught her attention by the same scent she secretly love.

"Oh, go on ahead then. I kinda left something in my room and need to get it." Before the crimson girl could said anything, the latter had run away. It seems Kotori had took the promise between them as a sign of new budding relationship.

_'Is I'm too late, Umi-chan?'_

**Outside the detention room,**

A blue-haired archer leans her back on the wall. She is in deep of thought. Even a certain attractive red-haired wealthy lady don't get her attention.

'SNAP!'

'SNAP!'

"Oh, Maki." Return to the real world by the snapping sound from the princess long fingers.

"Sheesh, what you're thinking about? I hope it's not Kotori." The girl regret her word later as she see the calm expression turn to a painful one.

"That one too..." All the energy seem to sweep away from the archer as she remember her mistress. The light amber doesn't even want to meet hers after that day. Umi thought that was because the princess tiredness, however the girl tried to avoid her tells her otherwise. It's been two night in a row, the young archer was racking all her brain to think what could she done wrong to her cute crush, but it was futile.

"Hey...do you think Kotori somehow heard the rumours?" The violet eyes stare her feet while the index twirls playfully her crimson hair.

The bluenette knows which rumours Maki talk about. Apparently, the innocence act had become not very innocence according to the some rumours. Umi baffled when hear it. Though there's nothing can be done at this point, they only hope is that it soon disappear just like any normal rumours.

'Hey, look. Isn't that Sonoda-dono and Nishikino-sama?'

'What? Where? Are they on dating?''

'Ah~A forbidden romance. How romantic!'

The maids whisper excitingly as they pass the two hot stuffs in the castle this week.

"That's going to make the rumour last longer than it should, does it?" The redhead princess growls.

"That seems like it." Umi sighs.

"I guess it a right decision for me to go back home as soon as possible. They won't be talking about it if we weren't together. So, Umi, please make a conversation with Kotori. I don't want any jealousy stare when I'm talking something related to you in front of her anymore." The girl crosses her arms.

"I'm trying. She always get away so fast."

"Then, shoot her."

"Are you try to suggest me to kill her?" The bluenette face deadpanned.

"I'm not. Aren't you one of the top archers?"

"Still, that doesn't mean I can do that to her."

The heated argument notice by a few soldier there.

'Ha~What a young love.'

'Well, a young couples do like to argue~'

The murmurs around them make the fight stop abruptly.

"We are getting the opposite result. Anyway, aren't we side tracking? I'm suppose to meet this stalker. You not doing this on purpose right?" Maki tries to sound playfully but fail miserably.

"Umm..."

"Wait. You did?!" The nervousness from Umi really give it away.

"Do you really need to see this person today?" The archer clearly announce that she doesn't want the red-haired girl to meet the prisoner.

"We promised!" Intensify the last word as she knows that the soldier weakness, other than the obvious.

"Okay, okay." The dark blue archer massages her temples. "I only going to warn you to be prepare for whatever you might see." The girl clasps both her hand on the side of the princess.

"Why are you telling me like I'm going to see a corpse?" Maki face twist in horror.

_'She partially one in the history.'_ Umi spoke in her mind before continues. "It wouldn't be surprise then. I need to get on my next duty. And Maki, I'm happy for you." The strand of blue hair flutter as the owner make a dash, passing through the pathway.

_'Geez, at least say something sensible before leaving.'_ The South princess stand in front of the door, waiting for the keeper to turn his key around in the keyhole.

Afterward, she walks straight along the way. She can see on both her left and right side are a small space for the prisoner. Not minding the look by a few of them, especially from the men, she go to the farthest corner.

Her high-heeled sandal give out a thumping noises. Reaching her destination, she could see a long black-haired girl in the cell. The girl is sitting on the floor while caressing her long hair.

The last thumping sound stop could be heard by the occupy in the small cell. Curious about the one who stopping by her cell, she swiftly turn around. But she wouldn't expecting this.

The amethyst meet the rubies.

**TO BE CONTINUE...**


	5. Chapter 5

A/N

I know. I'm sorry for the late update. Works being too clingy.

Thanks for reviews and positive comment. I try watching the tense, no promise though. They are my weakness.

This chapter dedicates to Nikorama16. I know you've been waiting for Nico since day one.

Advance apologies if the characters are too OOC.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Love Live**

**The Knight's Princess.**

_The night is suppose to be pitch dark. But on that one night, it wasn't._

_My cute little feet pitter patter through the hallway. As I was about to go to the toilet, I saw a bright light shining at the centre of the castle. It was actually exactly in the king and the queen master room._

_"Mou, Non-chan are playing fireworks without me." Forget about peeing, I tend to go to that particular room. Before I make dash from the left wing of the castle, someone had snatched my adorable panda pyjamas by collar and lift me off the ground_.

**"Seriously, do I really easy to be lift off?!"**

**'THUNK!'**

**"Please get back to the story. You're ruin the format."**

**"Geez...you don't have to hit me, Maki-chan~ Where was I...Ah!"**

I _found out that the strong arm who lifting little poor Nico was my mom. She wore a worried face._

_"Nico-chan, you can't go there. It's dangerous." She warned._

_"But Non-chan is playing with fireworks. Nico want it too." I puffed my fluffy cheeks._

_For a blink second, I saw my mom face deadpanned before a smile carved on it. "Oh, dear Nico-chan, we can play it together too..but that has to wait."_

_With me hugging her upper body, I faced back to see the middle part of the castle through a thin glass. Somehow, the fireworks were getting spread out. Something clicked inside me._

_"Mama! Mama! That's not fireworks, right? What is it?!" My body was trembling. Fear slowly crept to my heart as the light getting brighter. I might hear a few rushed footsteps or screams. I don't even know as I tighten my grip on my mom._

_She haven't say anything but her legs kept on running. The gentle rubs on my back soothed me, making me sleepy. As I about to close my eyes, I heard she said,_

_"Don't worry, Nico-chan. Everything is going to be fine." There was a hint of sadness._

_I believed on that. I was a child after all._

_Soon, that belief was no longer hold anything. That night was a turning point in my life. I just knew everything wasn't going to be the same anymore._

**"But now Maki-chan is here, maybe~Itai!"**

**Chapter 5: Truth not yet fully revealed?**

"Is it the truth?"

"Hmph! Why would I lie something about that? Even my mistress is here to bail me out." Pushing her bang aside, she holds her head in highly manner.

"If that so...you don't have to make lies about having connection with non-existent West Kingdom." The blue sky orbs pierce the red dawn's.

"It does exi-Awww..." A jab from the side make her face contours in pain.

"I do that to protect my mistress from any suspicious like you would do to your princess." The girl said plainly. A pout form as she look at her attacker. The one responsible tilts her head to the side while twirling her silky crimson hair.

The knight rolls her eyes, seeing the casual interaction between those two. She then settles her sapphire onto the heiress.

"Maki, seriously? You sent this little girl to sneak in to place the present secretly in Kotori's room?" Eri raises her left eyebrow. There's certainly something suspicious going on here.

"Ehem, ehem, it's not a little girl, it's the 'Awesome Super Spy Nico' for you." The blackhead coughs as her index pointing to the swordwoman.

"Well, 'Awesome Super Stalkerhead', you definitely fail to be a good secret agent for the South Kingdom. I practically smelled you the moment you're following me." There's totally a sarcasm in that tone.

"Hmph! Isn't that excuses? You should be taking me out if you had noticed me." The small girl relent.

"Heh~I doubt you even survive if I do that. Just consider yourself lucky in a way." The blonde bumps her forehead against the little lady. A cocky smirk plaster on her face.

"Grr..." Gritting her teeth, she's searching for a retort and find herself laughing later on.

"Hahaha, I just need to bring you to a dark place and you're so doom. You...Dar-ka-phobia!" Giving the sword wielder the same expression.

"Firstly, it's Nyc-to-phobia. Second, how the hell do you know about that?!" The knight keep on pressing her forehead harder.

Not wanting to lose, Nico does the same thing. "That little secret is an easy job for the 'Incredible' me. Now bow to my-Ouch!" Before she could finish her word, someone already pinched her ear.

"Stop this instant, Yazawa-san. I'm not bailing you out for you to go back in there with being disrespectful to the army." The princess narrows her eyes, giving a serious warning to her new fake agent.

Sigh defeatedly, the black-haired girl apologizes, only because the red-haired girl subconsciously rubs her red ear to ease the pain.

"Well, I guess you're not the only at fault here. I'm too. Let's start new shall we, Yazawa-san?" Eri hold out her hand.

"I know we started on the wrong foot but it's Nico for you, Eri." The petite girl gives her best smile, not forgetting to wink.

As both hands connecting, crushing sound could be heard.

"Don't call me too familiarly." The swordmaster says with her dark face, smiling awkwardly.

"It seems no matter which foot we start, we can't seem to get it right." Nico smiles as her eyebrow twitching from the bone crushing pain.

"Now we really on the same page." Release the poor hand girl from the death gripping.

"Ah! So, this is where you guys are. Lunch in ten minutes, nya!" All three turn as they hear the cat-like voice calling for them.

_'Ohhh! Lucky! Free food!'_ The small girl brimming with happiness. There are sparkling aura circling around her.

Maki could only sighs before secretly put on a small smile. "I guess we're coming." She says to Rin.

"Hmm...say Rin, I noticed you, Honoka and Hanayo have a few bandages on the face especially the older one. What exactly happened?" The blonde questions the coachgirl, giving her a puzzled look.

The feline body tense from the sudden question as her yellow germs glance to the amethyst for a brief seconds.

"I fell and hit the head, nya?" She tilts her head slightly.

"Is that a question?"

"Nononono! Rin's head still hurt. So, I can't really think properly, nya!" The orange-haired girl grins forcefully.

"You surely not good at-"

"Meh~Who cares. It lunchtime you people. Come on, lets get your ass moving." Nico cuts off Eri speech while taking advantage, slapping the red mistress butt.

"Hey! What was that for?!" Maki jerks aside from the sudden sensation. She throws the small girl a dagger with her purple eyes whose already been at the coachgirl side. The red hue inevitable on her face.

"At least that's make you moving. Lets go Rin." The two flee from the scene, unheard of a rough growl from the wealthy lady.

The knight could only chuckles. "You sure really close to her, aren't you, Maki."

"N-Not really..." She plays with her locks.

"I see it through~She is a very friendly one. She knows Rin already." The crimson heiress catches the suspicious look the swordwoman give.

"Apparently we met her along the way. I introduced her to Rin. Nothing's weird." The statement receives just a hum from the other girl.

"I'm not accusing you or anything. It just...I feel like I'm missing something." She let out a big sigh, slumping both her shoulder. "And I'm not being nice to her either which confusing me a little."

_'Ma...you guys really has that issue going on like always.'_ Maki thought, hiding her little smile. "Eri..." Though red-haired princess want to reveal the truth, she second guess herself on the impact she'll give to the latter.

"Oh! You better go to dining room now, they about to serve."

"How about you? Aren't you coming?" The heiress starts climbing the stairs.

"I will but I need to feed Atlas first."

"Okay then, see you in the moment." The swordlady bows and make her way to the stable. The blonde silhouette disappear from Maki sight as she enters the reception room.

"Now, could you explain to me what's happen to Eri. Nico kinda forget about that." A sudden voice startles the South princess.

"Gah! I-I thought you've gone already." The wealthy girl stutters from the fast beating of her heart.

The small girl walk toward her mistress. "Ow...you can't get rid cute Nico-chan that easily. I'm serving you, Maki-sama~" She takes the fortune lady hand and kiss lightly. Not forgetting a seductive wink to add an extra effect.

"J-Just so you know it, this spy thing is only a cover up Umi made for you. You don't have to take it seriously." She avoid meeting the rubies as she feels her face is burning up.

Happy seeing the princess reaction, Nico step back. "Of course, there's no way someone royal like me would want to serve anyone. It should be vice versa." She nods, agrees with herself.

"But your royalty is meaningless now..." Maki mutters, unheard by the latter.

"Okay, we are sidetracking. I want to know what happened to Eri. I know we fought almost everytime but she doesn't even remember me." The black-haired girl tries to give the best pleading puppy eyes.

Suppressing her laughter from the fail attempt, the amethyst-eyed girl reverts back to her calm personality

"She has psychogenic amnesia."

"Huh? Can you tell me that in English."

"It is English!"

**The stable,**

Passing through the wide field, a pair of blue boot stomping the ground, leaving its hot trail to the horse stable. The owner of it clearly knows the way since she close her eyes while humming inaudible melody.

"There, this should be enough for you." The azure snap open when hearing a familiar voice. A beautiful purple-haired lady come ino her peripheral vision.

"Toujou-san?"

"Ayase-dono!" The maid also surprise to see the blue armor knight.

The two gaze each other longingly before avert their gems away. Heat creeps onto their face.

"Not expecting to see you here." The swordwoman says after calm herself down. She approaches the maid who had been in front of her cremello stallion stable.

"Emm...I was just strolling and came across to this stables. Your horse seems agitated somehow, I figured he was getting hungry. You don't mind me feeding him, right?" Saying 'No' is absolute sin, not when an adorable puppy-eyed involved.

"It's okay. I'm about to feed him myself." She gave a reassure smile, stroking the horse white mane which enjoying his treats.

Then, come the silence...

Both of them hesitate to start a conversation. But soon, Nozomi brave herself, breaking the awkwardness.

"H-How was your wound?"

"Ah...Umm...It's healing well. Thanks to you..."

Another moment of silence...

_'Gah! No matter what I want to say, I keep remember that night. I know I shouldn't do that. Its embarrassing You supposed to be clever and cute Erichika, not stupid and shameless.'_ Though on the outside Eri looks pretty calm, but her inside is crumbling.

Despite all the pretending, the violet girl sense the inner turmoil. She tugs the sword wielder long sleeve slightly, returning the wearer to the real world.

"So, where you'd been?"

"Huh?" The swordmaster tilts her head aside, not understanding the question.

"Last three days. When I woke up, you weren't in the bed. I can't find you anywhere. Why?" Since her hand still on the sleeve, she plays with it while puckering her supple lip, sulking.

Blushing hard, the blonde suppress the memories of the night before and herself from pouncing the irresistible girl in front of her.

_'God, what did I do to get this kind of torture.'_

Taking a deep breath, the knight answers the maid.

"I was given a mission to catch a group of bandits in the town near the border of East Kingdom. Surprisingly, the bandits were the one who had attacked me in earlier days." Feeling the tug getting harder, the sapphire search the emerald.

"You're okay, right?" The eyes show how much the maid care and concern of the soldier well-beings which melts Eri heart.

"Don't worry. They can't even touch any of my hair this time." She brings her right hand up and pats the purplehead lady.

The swordlady action make Nozomi feels shy. She ducks her head to hide her crimson cheeks.

"Ah! Sorry. I must be boring you with the story." Misunderstand the maid behaviour.

"No! I like hearing your story, Ayase-san! Please tell me other stories too." The girl shakes her head, not realizing the change of the name calling.

"Ayase...-san?" The knight raises her left eyebrow. There is a hint of happiness in her tone.

"W-Well...calling -dono would sound like strangers and distant. I want us to be friends, Ayase-san." The older maid admits. _'And more if we can.'_ She silently add.

"Then, call be by my name." The stoic sword wielder gives a poker face while her heartbeats get erratically, waiting for the latter.

"No, I can't!"

Eri body remain still. However, if someone can see a soul, its already down in her knees.

Yet, another silence...

**~GRUMBLES~**

Both ladies face go red.

"I think we should grab ourself some lunch." The swordwoman chuckles.

"I totally agree on that." The South maid giggles.

"So, lets go." The knight reach the purple-haired girl hand unconsciously. The spark from the touches made the blonde want to release the hold immediately but the other girl tightens her grip first.

"Earlier...I'm sorry...I still feel embarrass to call you by name, Ayase-san." Nozomi hide her face despite enjoying the warm sensation of the intertwine hands.

_'What to be embarrass about? If it was me, I can do it easily. I mean...how hard can it be.'_ Inhale a large amount of oxygen, the sword wielder is ready.

_'Nozomi'_

Not lasting even a second, a lot of steams coming out of the blonde face.

"Ah! Ayase-san, what's wrong? You're burning up! Your nose is bleeding too!" Eri predicament send Nozomi to a panic mode.

"I'm fine, Toujou-san. I must agree with you. This is for the best." Wiping out the nosebleed with her sleeve.

_'Erghh...I'm catching Umi's disease.'_

**Hallway,**

"Hypothetically, Eri is unable to remember anything connected to the West Kingdom because of the past tragedy."

"I'm surprise you get it in one go."

"Hey, are you mocking me? Just so you know, I always be two year older than you. I can understand this simple thing." The older girl puffs her cheeks.

"I'm giving you a compliment here. Not need to be so emotional." The red princess says annoyingly.

"Now who is being emotional?" The ruby-eyed girl retorts reply by a barely noticeable sulking mistress.

_'Geez, you're making me feel guilty with that face. Hmm...how to make up...Oh, now I remember, we got interrupted last time.'_ Nico strokes her chin while thinking.

"Hey Maki-chan, lets continue from before." The South lady give the latter a question look.

"What before?" Obviously can't think of anything.

"Well...you know, the one we were about to do in the detention room." She leans forward, saying it suggestively.

Maki face immediately goes redder than her silky hair. "I-I don't know what you're talking about!" She stomping the floor, hard, fastening her pace.

_'But I see otherwise.'_ The small girl grins, not minding the huge gap between them.

_**Detention Room(Two Days Ago),**_

_Two figures turned into stone as they bored in each other mesmerized gems. No one noticed the swirl of emotions between them._

_After quite some time, the silence finally broken._

_"W-Wah! W-What are you doing here?! I told Umi not to tell you!" The jet-black haired girl panicked to even noticed the hurt expression the woman at other side of the bar gave._

_"I'm not expecting to see you here. Never thought you turned out to be a criminal." The crimson heiress managed to control her voice from cracking._

_"Hey! You accuse me too soon. I'm nothing like-Wha!" Maki wasn't paying attention to the latter. She found herself dropped limply on the ground. She couldn't contain her tears anymore and let it flooded._

_"Geez...This is why I don't want her to know I'm here, Umi." Nico muttered to herself. She crouched and whispered softly._

_"Hey, it's okay. Not need to cry."_

_"I-Its...hic...really you, right..hic..? I-I'm not being...hic...delusional again, right?" Shakily, the red-haired girl approached, tried to get a better look since the tears make her sight pretty blurry._

_Wishing she could hug the crybaby, she knew she can't, not with a strong and unwavered metal bar preventing her doing so. The older one settled by reaching her right hand between the bars, cupping the latter cheek._

_"Yup, it's me. The one and only." Wiping a stray tear on the corner of the princess eye with her thumb. Her tone unchanged from the earlier._

_"Missing me too much?" The peasant bluntly asked but sounded more like a statement._

_"Not really. There were dust in my eyes." The heiress said despite that she was leaning on the warmth palm. The flood on her face already stopped._

_"Heh~That must be a lot of dust to cause the flood." Nico smiled. It's not everyday the royalty from the South Kingdom will let anyone see her in that state. The small girl couldn't be more happier as she got every opportunity to comfort the beautiful latter._

_After a moment of comfort, Maki returned back to her royal pose._

_"Ehem. Now, back to business."_

_"Auu...no more 'Nico-chan, please caress me more'." The older girl imitated the young one, which obviously been exaggerated too much._

_Being as professional as she can, Maki maintained a straight face. "Are you done? If that so, I want to know what actually happened on that night."_

_"Tch, spoilsport. Hmm...Okay, I can tell you the truth." Crossing her arm, she looked into the serious amethyst._

_"I don't know."_

_Time stopped._

_"Don't play around!" The princess gritted, clenching the bar hard. Her eyes could pierce anything except the steel rubies right infront of her._

_"I'm just stating the truth. I don't know. Anything. We ran away on that night anyway."_

_"Oh..."_

_"You don't need to say anything. I'm ashamed on what I did. I should..." She ducked her head. Balling her small hand, she let out all her frustration._

_"You were a child back then, I can understand that. Don't blame yourself." Tried to comfort the latter._

_"A child, huh...Heh~who are you, calling Nico-sama a child? Have ashamed on yourself." She smirked before it turned into a gentle smile._

_"I guess I can forgive myself."_

_Relieved seeing the petite girl smile, the red heiress continued. "So, what take you all this years to make a contact with us."_

_"Hmm..." The crimson eyes looked everywhere but the South princess, which worrying her._

_A whisper came out from Nico lip._

_"What?" The younger approached the bar._

_"I said I'd been saving my money to meet you guys. When I finally had enough, which miraculously right before Kotori's birthday. So, I bought her a gift and went to the party. But, I got kicked out by the guards. I had no choice but to sneak in." The blackhead girl quickly glanced the other girl to see her reaction._

_"I bet you're going to laugh how 'Rich Nico-sama' had become very poor."_

_"No. Like I said before, I understand. I'm sorry...still, I'm glad you're safe." She leaned toward the bar, resting her forehead between it._

_"You're not possess, right? You being way too honest, it scares me." Despite that, Nico leaned too. Both forehead touched, with the small girl tip toed._

_Red hue painted on the princess cheeks as their breath mingled together._

_"Just be honor, I'm doing this only for today." The hot breath from each other gave themselves a chill._

_Enjoying the moment, the red blood eyes darted on the latter lip. Wetting her own lip, she said. "You know, I'd been planning something for you when we're finally meet. Never thought we'll be in this situation though._

_Seeing the other lip nearing her face, she shot her purple gems upward. Looking hard into the others._

_"You really bad in timing and places." Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and waited the other to come in contact with her lip._

_"Being romantic won't give me what I want fast enough." Nico getting closer._

_"You being impatient." Only one inch left before the two meet._

_"At least I get what I wa-Ack!"_

_The ground crumbled, making a medium size of hole underneath the prisoner. Nico fell into it. Maki startled and could only blinked, seeing the sudden appeared hole inside the prison._

_"Oww...what exactly happen?" The raven hair girl massaged her head. Her body ache all over to even noticed the weight under her._

_"H-Heavy...nya.." The orangehead try to push the girl on top of her but to not avail._

_"Ah! Rin-chan! Hang in there." The crimson eyes peered aside, looking at a small figure who was trying to pull something or...more like someone underneath her. She then looked downward._

_Burgundy clashed with a gold one._

_"W-Whaaa! Now its Nico-chan ghost nya!" With the help of unknown strength, Rin pushed the older girl off her body._

_"Oof!" The thrown girl however been caught by someone._

_"Rin-chan there's no way this girl is Nico-chan. Look, its been ten years already. If this is really Nico-chan, she must be at least an inch taller than me." The statement riled up the flare inside the girl in Honoka's arm. "And Nico-chan always put up her ridiculous twintailed unlike this girl, she purely has a long pretty straight hair." With that, the South spy snapped._

_"Ridiculous..you said..." The corner of her lip twitched._

_"H-Honoka-chan! Maybe you should stay away from her right now..." The quiet maid suddenly spoke after feeling some dangerous vibe from the other girl._

_"Hmmm..Aah! Now I know why Rin-chan said you look like Nico-chan, you has her eyes. The shade also almost the same." The chef completely ignored the warning and continued to gaze the latter orbs._

_"Guess what this Nico person will do when she had gone mad." Nico rolled her sleeves up until her elbows._

_"Hmm...she usually going to beat someone until she was satisfied." The ginger-haired tapping her chin while thinking. "Why do you ask?" She continued._

_Cracking her knuckle, she gave the girl a smirk. "Because~that's what you gonna get!" The small girl sing songly said._

_"Ehhhhhh!? Why?" Honoka face contour in horror._

_"Because I am Nico. I just finished brushing my hair and you said my twintailed are ridiculous. I wouldn't let your insults go unpunished!" Jumped, she swung her fist to the chef._

_Yelped, the two went down on the ground, brawling with each other._

_"No way! You mean...you haven't growing up, Nico-chan!"_

_"Shut up!"_

_As the two children engaged in their cat fight, the cat-like girl leaned to the maid and whispered shakingly. "T-That's r-real, right?"_

_"Looks like it." Hanayo nonchalantly said._

_"Ehhhh?! Kayo-chin, you're not surprise Nico-chan is still alive?" Amazed, the coachgirl blinked her eyes several times._

_"W-Well...since we found out Nozomi-chan is still alive, I-I'm kinda prepared myself for t-this."_

_"Amazing! Kayo-chin really well-prepared, nya!" The orange-haired girl's comment invited a blush on the greenette._

_"Aah~I should've known this is your guys doing!" A certain voice from the top stopped the fight which was going on downward._

_"Oh! Hey, Maki-chan!" The feline smiled while waving her hand to the upper girl who was looking through the hole that they had just broken it._

_"Don't HEY me!" Pinching the bridge of her nose, the princess spoke something to the guard who had helped her enter the cell. The guard left hurrily after hearing the request._

_Detecting the guard was fully away, Maki looked down back._

_"Rin, catch me." Swiftly, the wealthy princess jumped into the hole._

_"Uwawa!" The feline immediately lunged herself after the sudden action. Unfortunately, she got herself a little bit late to come and rescue the royal mistress in her arm. But hey, being under the rich girl wasn't so bad either._

_"Ughh...Maki-chan...you're heavy nya!"_

_"It's your fault for not being fast enough!" The crimson lady stood, brushing off all the dust stuck on her lovely dress. Scanning through the dark surrounding, she only seen little as the light source in there was only an oil lamp in Hanayo hand. So, she questioned her fellow friends._

_"Mind explaining why there is a secret passage right under the detention room and how you three get here?"_

_"Oh, let me! Let me!" The young chef sprung from the floor, forgetting her fight partner._

_"Oy, I'm not done with you yet!" Nico yelled but earning a pierce stare by her mistress._

_"Now, please continue." Princess Maki said with an authority voice. Everybody quiet to let Honoka spoke._

_"You know Umi-chan wouldn't let us come with you, right?' Earning a nod by the South lady._

_"But we're jealous." Maki kinda let out a 'DUH' expression on her face._

_"So...we decide to secretly enter the room!" Honoka finished with a happy tone and smile._

_The room become quiet for some time._

_"Wait, that's it!?" The black-haired girl kept her ruby eyes blinking for a long duration._

_"H-Honoka-chan! You're forget to mention about me stealing the castle blueprints._

_The red mistress and her agent snapped their head toward the maid._

_"You did what, Hanayo!?" The violet eyes widened as she asked the girl._

_"I-It's only for a short time. I put it back after we found a secret passage in it." The young greenette ducked her head, ashamed of her past action._

_"Ah..Don't cry, Kayo-chin. Maki-chan, Kayo-chin just borrowed it for our benefit nya!" The orangehead girl hugged her friend while pouting at the other one._

_"YOUR benefit!" Maki sighed, feeling guilty._

_"Anyway...How did you guys managed to break the floor from this height?" The redhead mistress looked down up to the hole. The distance was probably about twelve feet away._

_"Oh, Rin used this ladder to reach the top and bang it with this hammer." Rin suddenly appeared with a hammer in her hand and the ladder on her other side._

_"You have a ladder? You've should told me that before I jumped down." The royal lady whined._

_"You just jumped, Maki-chan. Beside, it broke when Nico-chan and Rin fall earlier." The cat-like human explained herself._

_"So, you miraculously break in to the right cell?" Now, it's Nico time to feel curious._

_"About that...he..he...he..." The ginger-haired girl sweatdropped._

_"HO...NO...KA!" A sudden appearance of blue startled the people in the secret passage._

_"Oh, hai Umi-chan" Everyone could see the chef giving a force smile to the soldier._

_Meanwhile Rin looked at Maki with a sad face._

_"Maki-chan...you betrayed us..."_

_"I'm not even on your side!"_

_"Mind telling me why suddenly a lot of prisoner are outside of backyard?" Eventhough Umi was smiling, it still felt very eerie. Thus, they were ready to flee as they caught the archer hand slowly reaching her back._

_"I'm sorry!"_

_With that, everyone started to run in different directions, hoping the arrows missed them since Umi just let out an open barrages._

_"I didn't mean to break all the cells." The chief of the kitchen confession been ignored by the bluenette as she continued to shoot her arrows._

_"This is your fault, Maki-chan!"_

_"You're the one she mad at!"_

_The attack continued..._

**Kitchen(Present),**

Chattering could be heard inside the kitchen as all the cooks doing they're finishing touches on the food for the lunch.

"Honoka-chan, you sure do a lot of troubles despite be a head chief of the chef." A big laughter follow by.

"Mou~Stop teasing me!" She pouts to her fellow workers which not very cute with the few patches on her face due to Nico and Umi attacks.

Despite being under the girl command, the staffs in the kitchen never feel distant with their chief. Though the brunette is younger than most of them, they respect and follow her nevertheless. The laughter slow down a bit as the door gives a 'creak' sound.

"Umm...Honoka-chan, are the food ready?" A small maid peers her violet eyes behind the door.

"Yup, Hanayo-chan. We just left the desserts to finish. The starter and main course are on the right side." The chef replies without looking as she concentrates on her dessert.

"Okay, I go and get the others." The shy maid bows and left the kitchen, finding the other maids.

The room continues to fill with chatters.

"Hee~Shy as ever, but that's her cute poin though." The other nod, agree with the statement.

After a few minutes, Hanayo come back with a group of maids. The gracefully arrange the food on the tray before proceed to the dining room. When everything is set up, the greenette visit the kitchen again to lend a hand.

"You don't need to do this, Hana-chan. At least leave the kitchen for us to clean." One of the dishwasher said despite not minding the extra hand.

The small girl just smile. "It's okay, I want to help." She continues to wipe the wet plates and put it aside.

"Nee, nee, Hanayo-chan! Come here! Come here!" The head of chef shouts excitedly, calling for the maid.

"Wait a second." Said the younger girl as she finish for her last plate.

"What is it, Honoka-chan?" She make her way to the eager chef.

"Ta-daa! Look what I've done." The blue-eyed girl spreads her arm, showing the maid her superb creation.

"Umm...They're desserts." The maid is unsure on what to say."

"And...~" While Honoka expecting other words.

T-They look delicious?" Hanayo grins but her expression give a confuse look.

"Mou Hanayo-chan, you're looking but not seeing. Hora! I mean this." The girl pointing her index on one particular desserts.

"It just a muffin, Honoka-chan." The greenette wails.

"Which filled with caramel!" The chef give a triumphant smile.

"Eh?! Don't tell me you're going to give it to Nozomi-chan." The maid slowly catching up.

"Exactly! As expected from my second-in-command!" The brunette slings her left arm around the other girl neck.

"B-But you know Nozomi-chan hate that." Now, its Hanayo turn to point her little finger to the desserts.

"Exactly!" The purple-eyed girl really wish to slap off the smile on the chef face.

"What EXACTLY you're planning, Honoka-chan?" Massaging her temple, she tries to sound mad but fail no matter what.

"Now, that's a good question..hmm.. I just asked Nozomi-chan her likes and dislikes on food, but she said she's fine with whatever which is not true! She hates caramel, at least I know that. So, I come up with this plan, 'Operation Make Nozomi-chan Hate Caramel'." The chief of the kitchen nod confidently with her idea.

"If that so..." Hanayo put a serious thinking face while stroking her chin. "Then, if Nozomi feels dislike toward that thing..." Again pointing at the poor muffin.

"Maybe she can remember something since you always give her the caramel flavours everytime she visited here, Honoka-chan." The maid brimming as she subconsciously agree with the plan.

"Hee...Hee...I'm really forgetful back then. But not anymore. Yosh, Hanayo-chan, this will be our second mission." Rising her balling first on the air.

"Hai!" Copying the latter though the maid just lift a little. Her eyes glances back to the table full with desserts.

"Hmm...Honoka-chan, aren't this going to be obvious? The table full with eveyone's favourite." The greenette question as she scan every desserts on it.

"Don't worry Hanayo-chan, I already prepare this for her if she stops eating the muffin." The ginger-haired open the refrigerator, allowing the small girl to take a peek inside.

"But that's not desserts!"

**Hallway,**

"This castle sure aren't changing much." A voice comment as its owner is scanning all over the place.

"I guess so. I haven't been here for awhile too." Other person joins the conversation despite their distance quite far from each other.

"You haven't?" The strides are slow as they enjoying the walk.

"I've been busy."

"With what? Getting hurt and fixing it yourself." The girl tries to joke but sound more like mocking by the latter.

"With Nozomi, that was it." The red-haired princess firmly state.

"What?! What kind of busy are we talking about?" The blackhead girl probably misunderstand the context of busy here. Before she could explain, Nico butt in again.

"Wait, if you with Nozomi all along, why don't you directly ask her about that day, instead trying to squeeze it out of me?!" Jealousy evitable on the small girl.

"I can't..."

"Why? Too busy to ask!" They start to shout at each other again.

"You don't know anything! Stop assuming!"

"Then, explain to me!"

"I..She...She can't tell me."

"Huh? So, she ran away too? Haha, we aren't that different." The heated atmosphere slowly fade.

"No, it's different." The tone almost turn to whisper. The rubies widen as the princess face become solemn.

"She loss her memories."

Shock by the revelation, she feel weak on her knees. So, she has to lean toward a nearby pillar. The agent tries to calm her own heartbeats.

"None of us?" She couldn't help but question the latter.

"None." Plainly stated.

"Not even that blondy?"

The mistress can only shake her head.

Trembling, she clutches her hand. Resting her forehead on the pillar, she painfully grins.

"That's it! I'm going to punch right on her head." With the burning determination, she march forward only to be stop by a certain South lady.

"Are you stupid?! I'm not going to allow that!" Holding the balled fist tightly, the amethyst shoot a warning gaze to the latter who had her back facing the heiress.

"Then, what I suppose to do?!" The peasant sudden yell startle the redhead.

"Its been ten years...and she won't remember? She still a family to me...To not remember me..." Maki couldn't see if the older girl is crying or not. But, the voice sound very sad, almost breaking. She approaches the girl to hug...however...

"That's just cannot be! Nobody can forget me, 'The Shining Superstar Nico'. Especially that cousin of mine! I'm going to deliver her a lots of Nico-Nico-Nii power to make her remember." The petite girl turns as she said that. Later, raising her brows on how weird the open arm of her princess hanging in the air.

Quickly put down her arms she said, "As long as no one hurt, I'm fine with it." Red hue covers her face.

"One moment, she did forget about her Spiritual Power too right?" Nico asks, seeking for reassurance.

"I guess so."

"Good. Now, I can charge in full power. Muahahaha! Just you wait Nozomi. You won't be forgetting me any longer." The twintailed girl continues her walk.

Watching from behind, the violet gaze soften.

_'You try to hide your sadness behind those mask of happiness right, Nico-chan.'_

**Dining room,**

Eager to receive the free food, Nico shamelessly open the door widely only to be pounce by her three cute siblings.

"Onee-chan!"

"Whoa! Kokoro, Kokoa, Kotarou too..How did you guys come here?" Butt on the floor, she look at the trio, now sitting on her lap.

"There this blue-haired lady brought us here." Says Kokoro, the oldest among the three. Though there is no one in the room.

"But before that, there was a big guy guarding our home, onee-chan." The light brown-haired girl say excitedly.

"Hmm. Hmm." The young boy agrees. He brings also his favourite toy hammer.

"Siblings?" Maki curious with the situation. "I thought you're the only child." She continues.

Before Nico could answer, Kokoa burst out..

"Wow! Onee-chan! You're so pretty!" Referring to the South princess.

Embarrass by the statement, she couldn't stop her face from redden.

"A-Arigatou..."

Amused, the spy simply add fuel to a fire.

"Isn't she? Well, she's my girlfriend anyway."

"Ohhh..."

"Whaattt!?"

As the innocent trio amaze by the revelation, the other party is fuming.

"Don't listen to your sister bluffing." She says to the children.

"So, you're not?" Kokoa asks, making the redhead feel guilty. The question being answer by a younger blackhead instead.

"No Kokoa. Apparently, onee-chan being self-centered again." Beside her is Kotarou who nodding, agreeing with the statement. The heiress gives a grateful smile to the kids.

"Wait, you guys, stop meddling in adult business." She cringes by her sibling ganging up on her.

"And Maki-chan~are you forgetting about us?~" The raven-haired girl acts cutely, facing the heiress.

"There's no US, friendship maybe, but certainly nothing beyond." The princess turns her head another way around. A vein pop up on the rich girl head.

"Then, why don't we go beyond now?"

"Are you out of your mind?!"

"Geez, how can you be so cold-blooded? Where my sweet and shy Maki-chan go?" She pouts.

"It's been ten years. Suck it up." Honestly, her tsundere mode always kicking in when she around her friends, especially with this older friends of hers.

"Oh well, just you wait Maki-chan. Nico going to make you down on your knees, begging for my love." The peasant declare confidently.

"Hmph! I really love to see you trying. But aren't your plates already full with Nozomi problems?" The mistress sound calm although her heart swell with warmness from the declaration.

"There's always a room for Maki-chan in me." The girl winks, not minding her little brother and sister watching it.

"Flatterer..but not enough to make me go gaga on you." Maki flips her tresses as she walks away to take a seat on the dining table. She manages to hide her pretty red face from those ruby peripheral.

"You should add 'yet' back there. No worries, there are plenty to throw at you." The small girl follows and take her place on her mistress leftside as her siblings do the same.

Sitting properly, they continue their talk while waiting for others.

"Now, could you tell me about them?" The red eyes catch the violets glance over her leftside.

Taking a deep breath, she tell the young princess.

"It happened after we ran away from the castle through the forest. Without any direction, my mom stumbled a small cabin near a lake in there. Apparently the owner is a very nice man and he took us in. Not long after, he felt in love with my mom and they end up in marriage. Then, these three come along. The end." She releases her breath that she'd been holding for a while.

"Is that what she wanted? I mean, your mother." Nico knows that the heiress getting worry eventhough she doesn't show it.

"She's been single for far too long. I mean I'm growing without knowing my own father, but mom didn't seem sad when she married him. So, I assume she was happy."

"Was...Is she...I'm sorry." The red princess apologizes seeing the nod for her unfinished question. Morever, she feels really sad too. The older one mom always treated her like she is her daughter everytime she went to visit the West Castle.

"It's tough, but I learned to accept it eventually. I got to take care these three troublemakers." The blackhead grins, ruffling her brother hair. She admires the older girl strong heart. She puts her delicate hand on the girl shoulder.

"Then, you should prepare all your stuffs to be move into my castle." Nico widen her eyes in surprise.

"Wait, what Maki-chan? Your castle? You're going to let us live there?" She blinks her eyes for a thousand times by now. She couldn't believe her ears on this turn of event.

"Well, you'll be working under me, right? So, living in the castle is unavoidable."

"I thought it just for a cover up." She deadpanned. She doesn't know anything closer to spy or gather infos except stalking perhaps.

"To make it more realistic. Just accept it. My order!" Maki being impatient.

"Hey, you can't do that to me! I'm a princess too!"

"Not anymore!" They keep on bickering for who knows when.

"Fine! I accept it!" Come the final word.

A chuckle could be hear.

"I should expecting this kind of act but I wonder why it still amuse me." Come in a tall figure, she's give off an elegance yet strong-willed aura.

"Minami-hime!" Realizing the queen of Otonakizaka Kingdom has enter the room, Maki stands and bows respectably. Not to be rude, Nico does the same.

"Nico-chan!" The blackhead feels dizzy as she spins when a force or rather someone hug her.

Jealous by the close approximation, the South lady tries to break it.

"That enough Kotori, you suffocate her."

"Ohh, sorry Nico-chan." The princess gives the older girl a lopsided grin.

"That's okay." Nico smile, not noticing a visible pout from the red heiress.

"I'd got your present. It very nice. Is it a handmade?" The grey-haired sits on her seat, resume their little catch up.

"Pretty much. I pick that up for my earning in my living as a peasant. But I mostly just do a cleaning job around the small town nearby where I live." They cheerful chat, leaving the other princess alone.

"Must be tough on you. Don't worry I'm here to help you."

"Ehem. Kotori, you don't need to do since she'll be working DIRECTLY under me, didn't Umi told you when she gave the handkerchief." The heiress is claiming her property.

"Oh, I see...but, Honoka-chan who gave me the present."

As perfect timing as anyone can be, Umi enters the room. The room suddenly become very gloomy, with Kotori gives a sharply stare toward the new amber before turn her face away. Maki too apologetically glance to the bluenette and turn her head to the rightside.

Sigh inwardly, the archer just brush off the cold staring, Umi goes and sits next to South heiress. Her action certainly elevates some princess angriness.

"What did you do?" She questions calmly.

"I think it went worse as I mention that you're supposed to tell her about Nico-chan." The red heiress sighs defeatedly.

"What!? She's not suppose to know that. That the reason why I sent Honoka to do the job. I just don't want to make her angry again. Now she'll think I tried to avoid her." The archer explains frantically. Their whispers catch the attention of other three adults.

"Are everything okay, Umi-san?" The queen asks with her little sweet smile, matching the one her daughter always give to her..or used too.

"Never feel better. Hahaha!..." She faintly avoid a further question.

"But aren't you be doing that?" Maki argues again after things have calm down.

"There's difference between waiting for her to cool down and avoiding her." The amber wanders to her mistress figure only to catch that the princess has been staring at her. Blinking her eyes for a moment, the grey-haired girl already turn the other way.

_'Must be my imagination.'_

"You're being a slowpoke."

Snapping back to reality, the bluenette sternly stare at the violet orbs.

"I'm being calculative."

By then, the room almost fully filled with the hungry babies, including Eri and Nozomi.

"So, lets the party begin." Queen Minami announces, rising her glass.

The lunch goes perfectly until it's time for the desserts. The maids come and pick up the dirty plates and replace it with a new one, filled with dessert on it. A variety desserts is on the table, according to everyone preference.

"Wow! How Honoka-chan has the time to make all of this?" Nozomi stares at the muffin infront of her.

"She always has the time to prepare everyone favourites." Eri smiles without looking away from the chocolate fudge infront of her.

That's it! Nozomi has declare her rivalry with the chocolate fudge.

"By the way, I've be meaning to ask. Do you know her?" The blonde points at a certain blackhead.

"Hmm...No. Who is she?" The maid wrinkles, try to think as she stares hard on the mention person.

Nico catches the turquoise gaze and return it back with the same intensity.

"Oh! I taught you might know her. She said she's been working with Maki as her..." Noticing the girl beside her aren't paying attention, she looks for the source of the distraction and easily find it.

Blocking the purplehead view, the cold azure exchange a menace gaze with the ruby. The sight seems pretty cute and heartwarming to the older maid. She unconsciously giggles.

Hearing the girl quiet laughter, the knight eyes soften as she glances back to her crush. She smiles contently.

After been waiting for awhile, they start to dig in their desserts. Being a very curious one, Nozomi bites the muffin a bit. Honestly, she thinks about throwing it right away. It taste awful in her mouth but somehow remind her of something. Not wanting to indulge it, the jade just stare menacingly at the bad muffin while her lip curves into a cute pout.

Taking notice on the person infront of her, Umi take a look at the maid down to the muffin. Realizing the problem, she speaks up.

"Nozomi...you don't like those, right? Here, you can exchange it with mine." The archer stands and gesture the older girl to take her favourite manjuus.

Peer the view with her jealous eyes, she then look at the muffin which has been bitten a bit by the girl she like. Her mind is yelling 'NO!' As Umi hand tries to reach it.

With her conscious still intact, Eri catches her mate hand, grip it tightly.

"You can keep those manjuus of yours. She'll be exchanging with mine." The blonde release immediately, seeing the bluenette winces painfully.

"Eh? But Ayase-san, those are your favourite. I can't take it." Nozomi looks guiltily.

"No worries, I already taste it a bit. My need was satisfied.." She bites the muffin as a que for closing off the negotiation.

"Thank you..."

"So, you really hate this. I mean, the caramel flavours?"

"I think so.., the taste just too awful." The purplehead stuck out her tongue cutely emphasize the real feeling she had.

The sword wielder almost choke by the display.

_'Urghh...but I think this caramel is too sweet.'_

On the other side, Umi is massaging her hurt wrist before angrily stuff the manjuu inside her mouth.

"Sheesh, can they flirt without getting mad at me?!" She keeps on munching, leaving crumbles stick around her beautiful face.

"Geez, are you a kid!?" Unable to ignore the mess on the archer face. Maki raises her napkin and swipe the crumbles off.

"Thanks...I'm sorry. I'm being immature for a moment." The bluenette has calm down, showing a smile to the heiress as a gratitude. The event been witness by the other princess while the the raven-haired girl is busy with her siblings.

"CAN YOU STOP FLIRTING EACH OTHER INFRONT OF PEOPLE!" The shout startle all the guests in the room. Even Eri stop looking at Nozomi, she taught she's the one getting yell at. So, it surprise her when Umi apologizes. The room back to normal but without feeling the tension has raise a bit.

"Oh well, I'm done. By the way, Umi-san, meet me in my office. We have matters to discuss." With that, the queen of kingdom stands and leave the dining room.

Since the yelling, her mood has been spoil. She lost the appetite to eat eventhough its her lovely cheesecake infront of her. So, she stands, making the people at the table fidget. No one had ever see the girl explode.

"Nico-chan, lets continue our chat in my room." The princess grabs the blackhead girl and dash out of the room. Apparently all the tension go away with her as well.

"Huh..." Slump her head on the table, she let out a long sigh.

"I'm sorry. I'm going to talk to her." The redhead rise from her sit.

"WHAT!?" The archer immediately grunts as she snaps her head to fast.

"I promise I'm not going to tell her about your feeling. But at least let me make it clear about our relationship." The South heiress debates.

"Urgh..fine." Umi slams her face down again. Hearing no more retaliation, Maki walks away.

"So that's what happened. I heard the rumours, I still can't believe Kotori trust that garbage." The swordmaster said, continue to munch the muffin.

"Ara~It's probably Umi-chan kind action lead this to happen." The violet-haired maid joins in teasing too.

"You two, please stop rubbing salt on it!" The archer sluggishly stands and make way to the door.

"Don't forget you have meeting with Minami-hime." The knight remind her friend.

Aside, at the corner of the room, there are two people standing suspiciously.

"Mou! Eri-chan ruins my chances to give this to Nozomi-chan."

"I thinks this is for the best." Hanayo look at the slice of meat on latter hand.

_"That's not desserts, Honoka-chan."_

**Minami-hime's office,**

"You can't be serious, Your Highness!" The voice shouted belongs to none other than the best archer herself, Sonoda Umi.

"I've never not be serious, Umi-san." The queen well-sitted on her chairs while the latter stands opposite of her.

"But..."

"My order is absolute, isn't it?" She firmly state.

"So, you're saying you kicking me out?"

"Affirmative."

**TO BE CONTINUE...**

Thanks for reading.


	6. Chapter 6

Finally I can concentrate for my exams. The story just keep on popping in my head. Well, I hope I don't mess up this chapter so badly. For the main character, it should be either Eri or Nozomi since the story dwell on their problems. It may not be directly tell by themselves.

Thanks for the reviews and supports.

Disclaimer: I do not own Love Live.

**A Knight's Princess.**

_I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth. Everyone said I was lucky to be born that way. Well...they're wrong! I wasn't happy at all. I was a lonely girl with nothing but a couple of birds as my friends. Ironically, though my name means the same, I didn't obtain their freedom._

_"Kotori-ojousama, it's dinner time." The maid snapped me out of my reverie. Taking a last look at the window, I smoothed out my crumpled dress and proceed to the dining room. It's pretty empty and gloomy with just my mom and me sitting there. Well, screwed that! I'm going to change it someday, allowing all the other members of the castle to join us during mealtime._

_My dad had passed away long ago before I was even born. So, the kingdom relied on mom's decision and hard work, leaving me to play by myself since there weren't any kids around my age in the castle. Well, not until that night._

_Upon reaching the dining room, I could heard mom was chatting with someone. Didn't want to be rude, I quietly poke my head to see behind those large door._

_"Ah! Kotori-chan, come here." A women with the same hairstyle like me ushered me to come closer. She deliberately caught the person beside her some attention to turn as well. I met a pair of steel amber eyes._

_"Otousan?" I unconsciously spoke out._

_The man was obviously laughing at my question. He looked at my mom with a smirk._

_"As much I want to be, unfortunately I'm not." The man grinned, earning a slap on his back by my red face mother._

_"Shiro-kun! Don't give her a wrong idea!" I was completely confused. I'd never seen my mom spoke so casually to anyone before._

_"Okay, okay!" The bulk man crouched until our eyes was parallel to one another. He took my hand and kissed the back of it._

_"Nice to meet you, ojou-chan. Your trusty knight at your service."_

_"Shiro-kun is one of the generals in our royal defense. He had been working for West Kingdom these all time. He also my childhood friend." My mom smiled and explained as she saw some confusion in me. Truthfully, I knew all the man under our service. So, it's weird me out to see unfamiliar faces._

_"Ma...I'd been loan to the kingdom for almost five years. Finally been able to get back here. You're so mean Hime-chan, you trade me to those guys~" Seeing mom and that man interact so closely make me jealous._

_'Even mom has her friend.' I pouted._

_"I had no other option. You're one of our best man This is for our benefit after the truce too." Mom said. I could care less as they started to involved politics in the conversation._

_"Well, I should be going then." He patted my head before stood and bowed to mom._

_"Why don't you stay for dinner with us. You just gotten back anyway. You must be hungry." Mom asked before the man disappeared behind the door._

_"Maybe some other day Hime-chan. I missed my wife and my little daughter." The man declined but he appeared to be thinking of something._

_"Oh! Maybe I'll bring my daughter along too next time. You could make friends with her, ojou-chan." Now, that peaked my interest._

_"REALLY?!" Even the sun should be envious with how much radiance I gave that time._

_The knight nodded and gave a toothy grin. I'd been smiling all night after that._

_Days later, the man came over for dinner. As he promised, I could see a lovely girl with long dark blue hair beside him. She looked very serious for such age. I can't help but shuddered a bit._

_"Hora! Introduce yourself, my daughter." The general shoved the girl gently. For a moment, I could see her image crumbled a little before she gained back the initial posture._

_"Sonoda Umi desu. It's been an honour to meet you, ojou-sama." She bowed._

_"Just call me Kotori, Umi-chan. We're friend." Last thing I wanted is for someone to be so uptight around me._

_But it soon vanished when the girl lost her coolness. She became very frantic. Well, her red face is cute though._

_"I-It's very inappropriate for me to call you that, ojou-sama!"_

_Teehee, she is Umi-chan after all. My first friend._

**Chapter 6: Havoc Day.**

"Is it really okay with you guys?"

"It's fine, Kayo-chin. I would like to see the town plaza once again. Besides, whose idea is to suddenly challenge Honoka for a cooking contest out of nowhere?!" A vein pop on the South princess head as she gaze the person behind her.

"Hey! I need my pride back from her insults the other day. It's inevitable for this thing to happen. She doesn't know what's coming for her. Muahahaha!" Nico laughs eerily as she shows a proud face.

"Are you really thinking of winning?" Maki raises her left eyebrow while smirking. She clearly make a 'can you even cook' face.

"Don't underestimate me, my love. You don't know what you're missing." The raven-haired girl coolly answers. Several years before had made her as a good match for the royal chef.

"W-Whatever, can't tell until I taste it though." The red-haired girl flips her hair over the shoulder and walk to the prepared royal carriage. She tries to hide her embarrassment of Nico's pet name for her.

The shy maid could only look away from her friend flirting.

_'I don't see anything. I don't hear anything.'_

"Ka~yo-chin!"

"Huwaah!" Hanayo jumps a bit after be tackled by her orange-haired friend from behind.

"Oh, Rin-chan. You scared me." The greenette look back, tugging her hand over her friend's that hangs on her neck.

"Hehe..gomen." The girl gives a cheshire grin. She has been forgiven.

"Ara~being all lovey-dovey in the morning already." A voice belongs to another maid interrupts.

"Good morning, Nozomi-chan!" Both of the youngster greet the latter.

"Good morning to you both too." The purplenette smiles.

"You're going with them too?" The smaller maid ask, earning a nod by the older one.

"Nozomi! We're going." The young mistress shouts.

"Well, that's my call. See you later." The violet-haired woman waves her hand as she approaching the carriage.

"So, who's the driver?" The ruby-eyed lady says, scanning the carriage for a sign of life. Before anyone could answer...

"That's probably be me." Nico feels cold all over her body after hearing the voice behind her. She slowly look over and see extremely the scariest thing ever.

"I'M GOING TO DIE YOUNG!" The peasant shrills.

...

The carriage become further and further from the gate. Soon, it disappear from the sight.

"Waa! Rin never see Umi-chan so dark before nya!" The feline girl wails, remember the early image.

"I feel sorry for her..." The maid feeling down.

"It's nothing we can do, Kayo-chin. It's hime-sama order. Umi-chan need to be kick out." The coachgirl pats her friend back.

"I guess you're right. So, where are you going to be today?"

"Just a delivery job. Rin will be back before lunch. Bye bye, Kayo-chin!" With that, the girl run toward the stable to grab her Merry.

"Be careful." She warns her friend before entering the castle.

'Now, time to prepare Kotori-chan!'

**Kotori's royal bedroom,**

"-sama..."

"Mmm..."

"Kotori-sama.."

"Mmhmm..five minute Umi-chan..."

~SILENCE~

"Umi-chan?!" The grey-haired princess roughly wake up only to be slump back to the soft mattress.

"Aww..." The heiress writhe in pain as she feels her forehead hurt. She open her eyes to see and meet with her knight.

"Eri-chan, you have a head of steel." She says to the woman in front of her who also massaging her red forehead.

"Could say same to you."

As the pain subdue, the mistress scanning her room, looking for something.

"I think I heard Umi-chan earlier." Finally voice it to the blonde.

"Oh! You mean..." Eri put up her right hand close to her mouth and start to whisper. Not mentioning her smirk on the face.

"Kotori-sama..."

The girl in bed only stare at her knight unbelievable.

"Mou, Eri-chan! That's only privilege for Umi-chan." She pouts angrily.

"I know. That's why I use it to wake you up." The smirk turn to a gentle smile.

BAM!

"W-Wake up, K-Kotori-chan!" The sudden banging of the door jolt the swordswoman and make her jump onto the bed, hugging also the shock-state princess.

"Ah, sorry Door-san, I didn't mean to hurt you." The petite maid bows repeatedly to the door that she had widely swung, making it come in contact with the wall behind.

She then face to the bed and widen her big violet eyes.

"K-Kotori-chan a..and Eri-chan?"

"Uwa! THIS IS NOTHING!" The mistress gently push the swordmaster. She flops onto the soft mattress.

Taking the advantage given, Eri lay on it for awhile before turning to the shy maid.

"I presume she need to get change?" Earning a nod by the latter.

"Wait...What is this about?" Not liking where this going, Kotori look at both her friends suspiciously.

"T-That's..." The blonde girl jump off the bed before the greenette able to explain.

"For that, I, Ayase Eri will be accompany you for today event." She politely bow and signal the maid to continue.

"Which is..."

...

"YADAAAAAAA!"

"Kotori-chan please stop moving" Hanayo struggles.

"NO! I DON'T WANT TO GOOOO!"

Near the door, the knight could only stare the predicament the little maid fall into. She has to dress their childish princess while the latter is tightly holding the pillar of her bed.

"You know Kotori, everything going to be okay. I will be there too." The swordgirl reassures the silver heiress.

"NOTHING'S OKAY WHEN IT COME TO OMIAI!" Kotori clearly detest the event.

"Besides, where's Umi-chan? She usually the one responsible for me in this kind of event." The mistress somehow calm down and quiet, much to the maid delight...or not.

"No! Don't tell me she hate me already. Nooo...I can't take that. It's too much." The grey-haired lady pacing back and fro while remorse by the bluenette absence.

Truthfully, since the two in cold war, it had been Hanayo job to wake up the princess.

"Kotori...I think you better stop moving. You're making Hanayo sick." The knight point at her mistress waist. Swept by the agonize, the poor was drag along due to her light weight.

"Ah, I'm sorry Hanayo-chan!" Realizing she has been pacing around, Kotori make the greenette's world spin.

"I~It's o~kay~ I already finish with the clothes~" Then, she flop onto the bed. Unconscious.

"Oh my, I kill her!" The girl in light green kimono cringe.

"Let her be for now. She done a great job." Eri say, looking at the girl in front of her, nodding at the sight.

"Good. You're look great enough to meet the man." She approaches as the amber orbs stare daggers at her.

"DON'T. YOU. DARE." The North princess warns, which be ignored by the other girl.

Snatching anything she can reach, Kotori start to swing it violently at the royal soldier.

Dodging swiftly, the swordmaster calmly walk to the uncontrollable lady. Sidestep, the sharp end miss the azure by inch. Grabbing the weapon, which known as umbrella, she pull it, dragging the princess toward.

"Oof!" Kotori fall onto the knight open arms. Without wasting time, Eri place her left arm around the girl waist and lift her easily.

"Huh~I just know this going to be hard." Sigh. The swordgirl walk out the room with the struggling heiress on her shoulder.

"Let me go! Put me down this instance! Meirei yo!" The greyhead pound the soldier back. Luckily, her wound already healed.

"The only command I follow now is Minami-hime's."

"Eh!? Okasan? What did she said?." The girl pouts, learning her mom plotted the evil plan.

"To make sure the princess attend the omiai with a proper appearance and manner. Oh! And~to ignore all her command until we're finish." The blonde grins at the last sentence, making the latter scowls.

"Okay...But could you at least put me down. I promise I'll behave." The mistress says with her sulking tone.

"Only because you'd promise." The knight put her down.

"So, is this happen because of the birthday party?" The royal heiress smoothen the wrinkle on the kimono. She calm herself down and accept her predicament.

"That's where the good news come. Today is only for business purposes. Actually the latest design you'd been working on is for today show."

Kotori shots a suspicious look at the older girl.

"Then, why this event is called as an omiai?"

"Because the other party want it to be like that."

"I'll bet whoever it is just a dreamer." She snorts.

"I assume you're in a better mood now, Kotori." The sword wielder relax.

"Not quite yet~ Where is Umi-chan anyway?" The amber give a side glance to her friend, which the sapphire obviously keep avoiding.

"She is..."

_**Minami-hime's office(Yesterday),**_

_'KNOCK!'_

_'KNOCK!'_

_"Sonoda desu."_

_Hearing a murmur behind the wooden door, the bluenette opened the door, assuming she could come in._

_Step in, she closed the door quietly and bowed to the queen, which giving her a warm smile while sitting on the sofa that was set at the middle of the room._

_"Glad you could make it"_

_"O-Of course I will. You asked me hime-sama." The archer stood stiffly at where she was._

_"What are you doing there, Umi-san? Please take a sit. I need to discuss about the important matters with you." Giggled before she invited the soldier to sit opposite of her._

_"H-Hai..." The girl followed the queen order. Still nervous on the unspoken question which will be thrown at her anytime by now, Umi sat straight._

_"So, how the matters on the Westeria? Which one did they accept?" Westeria is a word to call people living in the West Kingdom._

_"Eh?" The archer dumbfounded by a moment, catching off guard by the unpredictable question._

_"Ara~Do you expecting me to discuss a different topic? What could be more important than this?" The Head of North asked innocently, though there was a glint of mischievous inside those amber._

_"N-Nothing really..." There's a flash of the splitting image of the woman in front of her inside the bluenette mind, making a blush crept onto her face. Coughed fakely, the girl clad in blue uniform regained her composition._

_"About the Westeria, they said they're still discussing about the matter. The result probably come within one or two weeks." The archer seriously in her work mood._

_"Ma...It is very important. I just don't want they to misunderstand our intention." The queen sighed quietly._

_"Don't worry. I'll make sure they won't. We had sent the best negotiator on our side." Umi said confidently._

_"How reliable~I might has to fight with my daughter for your affection too, Umi-san~." The older winked, making the latter choke in surprise._

_"T-That's..." Her face was red in embarrassment._

_"Ara~Not interested in old lady like me? That's very hurt, Umi-san~" The grey-haired woman stood, fakely sulking and retreating to the table behind which full of unsigned documents._

_"Y-You're still a pretty lady, Minami-himesama!" The girl sprung off from sofa. Her head was in mess. Didn't how to process the mother of her crush confession. Blood pumped fastly all over her body._

_"Joudan yo, Umi-san." Feeling amused rather than sorry to the girl in front of her, she stopped her teasing._

_'No wonder my kid like it so much.'_

_"Hah...Don't joke something about that Your Highness. It'll kill me slowly." Sighed tiredly, her mind didn't know what to think anymore._

_"Relax, Umi-san. Though I had to admitted you are smooth talker like your father. How is he anyway?" The bluenette blush on 'smooth talker' word._

_"Aside from him complaining about his back, he's doing just fine. But he won't stop working. What a stubborn old man." The archer cursed silently but enough for the other to hear._

_"Stubborn, indeed. By the way, I have a proposition to offer you, Umi-san." The amber orbs watched silently at the bluenette as the girl wrinkled her eyebrows in confusion._

_"May I know what it is and it purposes?"_

_"Well, I think of giving you some vacation starting tomorrow so you can visit that friend of mine." The queen casually state, referring to the latter father. Actually she was hidden her truth intention._

_"That would be unnecessary, hime-sama. I can make time for him but my duty always stay in this castle. I can't afford to let anything happen to you or your daughter while I'm visiting my family, which I'd seen them last month." The archer refused politely. She already make sure to visit her family at least once a month._

_"Tch! Then, you leave me with no choice, Umi-san. Hereby, I as the Queen of Otonakizaka, order you, Sonoda Umi, to not be available inside the palace for whole day tomorrow." Nod to herself, the queen confirming her own order._

_"WHAT?! This is ridiculous, hime-sama! I don't see any reason for this order." Umi deadpanned as she had been given that order to follow._

_"You don't need to worry about that. Now, you should be packing your stuff. My order will start exactly in the morning."_

_"You can't be serious, Your Highness!"_

**Present,**

"She kicked me out. She kicked me out. She kicked me out." A emotionless human says repeatedly like it's a mantra.

"You know, it just for one whole day. You can return back tomorrow. Stop being depressing or I'll really kick you out from this carriage."

The zombie girl turns her head to look the one beside her, swaying slightly her blue long mane.

"She kicked me out." A vein pop on the latter head.

"By foot, I mean." Nudges her heel to the bluenette side.

"Okay, okay. Stop it, Maki. That's really hurt." Rubbing at the sore place while one of her hand is controlling the horse in front.

"That's better. You were mindless zombie before."

"I still can't accept this." The archer sighs.

"You already halfway to the town, might as well accept everything by now. Besides, Eri is there. Everything will be fine." The red-haired princess gazing the view around her.

"You're right. Sorry for being paranoid, but...I still suspect something is going there." The soldier focus on the road.

"Whatever. I don't care." The heiress shrugs of the topic, act as if she knows nothing.

"Anyway, is it okay for you to be sitting with me? The rumours hasn't die down yet and...YOU ARE A PRINCESS FOR GOD SAKE! Shouldn't you be in the carriage?" The bluenette complains.

"Nico wants to be alone with Nozomi." Maki state bluntly, ignore the curious look by the latter.

"For what?" Umi asks when the South lady doesn't continue.

"I don't know. She did tell me she's going to make Nozomi remember something." Looking uninterested.

"Can she?"

"Doubt it."

"Yet you let her."

"Someone has to give her a chance." The crimson princess keep calm.

"Just admit, deep down you want her to succeed." The archer maintains her expression.

"Why would I want that?" The amethyst glance to the amber.

"I might be mindless before, but I'm not deaf. What with the deal of going on a date if she manage to even make Nozomi remember something." Now, Umi couldn't hide her smirk anymore.

"I wish you were back to the zombie form. Maki turn her head away, not giving the latter a chance to tease her now red face.

"That's hurt my feeling."

**Meanwhile(inside the carriage),**

A pair of ruby keep staring at the pair of jade. Not breaking the eye contact, the purplenette playful speak.

"You must be interested in me. You'd been staring me down to my soul from when we got into this carriage. But sorry to say, my heart already belong to someone." She raises her eyebrow, challenge the other girl to retort back.

Since they enter the carriage, Nico had been thinking on a way to make the latter at least remember something from the past. However, she can't seem to find a right word. So, when the maid had start talking, she might as well follow the flow until she can find a gap to fill with her nonsense.

_'Well, two can play this game.'_

"Oh, really? But you're staring at me too. Does that make you in-te-res-ted in me?~" The raven-haired girl says as she too being playful.

Giggles, the girls maintain their gazes.

"Not interested, just intrigue."

"As in...why?" The short girl smirk. Maybe she can have her gap sooner than she'd think.

"You remind me of someone." That statement only make the peasant smile widen.

_'Hah! You finally going on date with me, Maki-chan.'_

"Who actually do I remember you of?"

Putting her index on the chin, she appear to be thinking before look back at those curious burgundy. The turquoise eyes soften.

"Someone warm, that I had deeply bond to. Like a family perhaps."

_'I AM YOUR FAMILY!'_ She wish she could just shout that out loud. But she knows better since Maki told her that might shock the latter and it would do bad thing to the girl.

Calming herself, the spy tries to change the topic. Not forgetting her true intention, she change the tactics.

"What your background life anyway?"

"Hmm...What do you mean by that?"

"Your life before becoming the maid." Nico notices the girl become uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry. I think I can't answer you that. I always be Maki-sama maid as long as I can remember."

"Why is that?" The petite girl continues though she already know the answer.

"I has an amnesia."

Nozomi usually doesn't like to reveal her condition to others but she's fine with the blackhead girl.

_'I wonder why.'_

"Maki-sama said I will eventually remember. The question is do I want to." The red eyes widen in surprise. She does not expect that.

The purplenette stand and walk to the window. Feeling the breeze on her face is refreshing.

"I'm afraid who I was. If it was bad, might as well forget everything and start new."

"That wouldn't be fair! It doesn't matter how good or bad you are! There's always be people care for you! Don't you want to remember them!?" The black-haired has to restrain herself from shouting. She also hold back her tears from coming out.

"Yazawa-san..." The maid feels a twinge in her heart.

"I need some fresh air." The small peasant stands. Her bang hide well her teary eyes. Before she go out, she speak her mind with her back in front of the maid.

"If I was one in your past, I want you to remember. Because...I had fun back there. Those were good memories you should be remember. By the way, it's Nico for you." With that, the girl open the door and leave.

Still inside the carriage, the woman stand with unreadable face. Suddenly, a warm liquid leak from the girl eyes.

"Heheh...I wonder why this tears won't stop. You make me want to remember too, Nico-san."

Slump to the nearest seat, Nozomi smile a bit, wiping the unending tear. She shakes her head few times.

"No. Nicochi would suit her."

...

The tranquility of riding the carriage is gone as the little miss spy harshly ask her princess to exchange the place.

"Hey, Maki-chan! Stand up. We changing our seat." Still hidden her face with the bang, the girl pulls the well-seated princess from her sit.

"What the hell? We almost there." The red lady pull back.

"Just do as I said!" Noticing the raven-haired girl pretty wary, Umi decides to intervene.

"Maki-ojou, you might as well listen to her. Anyway, a princess need to be inside the carriage, not outside."

Looking at the bluenette for one or two second, the South lady stands and enters the carriage.

"Thanks..." The peasant grateful for the soldier help. She sit at the same place the redhead sat before.

"Not going very well?"

"I don't even know. She just don't want to remember." This time the tears doesn't hesitate to come down.

"Here, use this." The bluenette offer her handkerchief.

_'My handkerchief is really for the need of others, do they.'_

"Thanks again."

The silence come between them.

"I'm still hurt that you said I'm going to kill you."

"JUST FORGET ABOUT THAT."

**The palace,**

"UNBELIEVABLE! Among the days, she HAD to pick TODAY to take a rest. How can she be soooo INSENSITIVE?!" The young princess is fuming while waiting for her business partner.

"Yet, you love her, unconditionally." The knight leans on the wall. Crossing her arm and closing her eyes to relax.

"Don't act like you haven't feel it either." The amber glance at the tall soldier for some reaction.

"What are you trying to imply?" The heiress grins as she get what she wanted.

"I heard it too. The rumours about you two."

"What rumours?" The sapphire orb pry to the latter's.

"About you and Nozomi-chan!"

"We just friend." Eri put up her poker face. She almost choke in embarrassment from the news.

"Oh! Friend don't go around and sleep together." She push.

"It called sleepover." The blonde counter.

"In the same bed?" The grey-haired girl smirk proudly.

"I can't afford her to sleep on the floor. Anyway, it just rumours. I thought you know Umi. She would just let everything calm down. Why did you trust those rumours which mostly just a lie anyway?" The swordgirl manages to deflect the other girl attack on her feelings toward the purple maid.

"That's the problem. Mostly doesn't mean everything is a lie. Umi silence just make her agreeing with the rumours." The mistress let out all her pent up stress.

"Ma...I won't say I disagree with that either. It just a matter of point of view." The knight sighs, don't know how exactly to fix the problem.

"I'm just thinking of apologise to Umi-chan today too."

"Hmm?" That really caught the sword wielder off guard.

"Maki-chan told me everything yesterday. Oh boy, you should see how she stare straight to my eyes like she want to rip me apart when I was hugging Nico-chan." The North princess giggles, hidden her guiltiness toward her beloved bluenette.

"That Yazawa-san seems close to you all." The azure look suspiciously to the woman in front of her.

"I might meet her when you weren't around. Plus, I think it just a one time meet. I'm not expecting her to be working under Maki." Kotori make-up story succeed in making the soldier not to question further.

"Still, I can't believe I'm friend with you two." Eri starts with different topic.

"Who?" Kotori looks confuse.

"You and Umi, of course. I wonder how did I been caught in being friends with you guys." She smiles while shake her head slowly.

"That's actually pretty funny, Eri-chan. You caught to be our friends because you got caught." The princess laughs loudly.

"Urghh...please don't remind me..."

"What? Nobody knows the so-called mighty knight, Ayase Eri was actually a little thief back then."

"You just want to say it because your beloved was the one who had caught me." Eri can't help but feel happy reminisce the old days.

"You know me too well." The princess says before her attention focus on the carriage which just enter the castle.

"Time to meet my partner."

"Don't worry, I'll protect you or Umi will go berserk."

The two then go and meet with the noble man.

**Town plaza,**

Surround by mass of people, the four from the palace walk around casually. With the bluenette as the tour guide, she is in front of the three. While the three behind are having a very depressing tension among them.

"Okay, where you want to go first?" The archer turn to look over the trio.

Not looking at each other, the three stay quiet.

"Sheesh, is this how I look before? I look horrible!" Umi tries to lighten up the mood.

"Hey! Nobody call me horrible!" At least that is enough to make the petite lady make a different expression.

"Then, I sure to call you that next time." The red princess says, earning a giggle from the maid beside her.

"What!? You can't call your future wife that! And Nozomi, stop laughing!" The fake secret agent pouts angrily.

"W-Who want you to be my wife anyway?!" The South heiress protests while the purplenette crafts a small smile on her face.

Before they can continue their usual argument, they are interrupt by a seller nearby.

"Ah! It's Umichi. I haven't seen you around anymore. Where is Erichika?" The older man walk in front of his stall so it's visible to notice the wrinkles on his face.

"Hiro-san, it nice to meet you again. I've been busy myself and Eri is in the palace." The girl greets the man back while the other stand silently, don't know what to do.

"Oh, I'm sorry, but who are these pretty ladies?" Noticing the awkward expression make by the trio.

"Ah, this three is my companion. This is South princess and her escorts." The royal soldier introduces the others.

"Oh my, apologise to my rudeness, Milady." The man take the mistress hand kiss the back of it. Not minding the act, Maki retracts her hand slowly afterward.

"It's okay, just treat me like a normal person. I'm not in the palace anyway." The girl smiles.

"Fair enough, Milady. Now, I should go back to work. Can't let this old man hold you from your business here. Ah! Before that, take this, Umichi." The man take some of his goods and give it to the archer.

"Seriously, you don't have to give me this everytime I come by, Hiro-san." Though she protests, Umi still take it willingly.

"What? This should be something you must remember."

"Hai, hai..." Sigh defeatedly, the bluenette let it slide once again as she usual do.

...

"What with the oranges, anyway?" Nico asks as they are a little far from the earlier stall.

"Oh, it just had something to do with me and Eri first meeting." The archer explains.

"You mean the day you caught Ayase-san."

Three pairs of eyes shot up and gaze the jade curiously.

"How do you know that?" Umi asks, as they're getting excited.

"Hanayo-chan told me." The maid watch silently as the three put their head down and give out a long sigh.

"Is it wrong?"

"No, it's true. Kotori and me was exploring the town on that day. We be passed by someone really fast and before I knew it, I kept on chasing her as they said she was a thief." The blue-haired girl tell her story melancholically, looking at those oranges.

"We struggled. Some of the soldiers arrived and apprehend her." She continues.

"And where this oranges fit in?" Nico asks.

"I threw it to make Eri stop. She did fell that time. I guess I threw it very hard." The archer chuckles.

"And accurately at that. No wonder you are an archer." The redhead joins.

"Her reasons are? What happen after that? Hanayo-chan didn't finish her story as she got called." The maid want to know more about her crush.

"Well, we about to meet her reason." The soldier smiles as she enters the small shop. Nozomi cock her head, confusing. Already knowing the story, Nico and Maki reassure the girl.

'TING'

"WELCOME TO SWEET &amp; SWEET HOLIDAY!"

"Hello, Arisa-chan, Yukiho-chan."

"Oh, Umi-neesan!" A pale blonde girl rush in front the counter and hug the said girl. While the other girl behind the counter remains there.

"Hello, Umi-san. What bring you here?" The girl with magenta hair speaks. She has notice the other girls behind the bluenette.

"Oh, I want you to meet my friends. And Eri's too." Umi sidestep, allowing the other to enter the younger girls peripheral.

Since they only play with each other at young age, the three haven't meet with the young girls. After minutes of introducing themselves, the blonde couldn't contain her happy expression.

"Oh, onee-chan had tell me about you, Maki-san!" The girl takes the redhead hand and shake it wildly.

"S-She did?!" The heiress is more surprise by the girl action rather than what was told.

"I can't believe I finally meet you. You are pretty like the one in the pictures." The statement make the princess blush.

As the two interact, Umi approaches Nozomi.

"The reason is her sister, right?" The purplenette assumption gains a nod by the latter.

"They were orphans who had to survive. With young age at that time, the only thing she could think is steal. My dad adopted them after hearing her story. She pretty hate me back then." The soldier let everything sink in the maid head. The turquoise gaze aimlessly to front and meet with the blue-sky accidently. She gives a smile to the young girl which is reply back.

"Ah! Now, I think again, onee-chan did say something about her making friends with the royalties except Kotori-san." The girl known as Yukiho suddenly announce.

"Who exactly your sister anyway?" The raven-haired girl asks curiously. She could think it might be Hanayo's.

"Kousaka Honoka."

Everyone shock, except Umi, Arisa and Yukiho, obviously.

"No way! How can that be? You're so different. I mean, you're sweet and polite."

"I get that a lot." The girl grins, to the compliment perhaps.

"Urgh...Now that I remember Honoka-chan, I has the contest with her! Maki-chan, let get our cute ass out of here. We have to do shopping before dinner." Interrupting the mistress conversation with Eri's sister."You're the one who's going to cook, not me!" With that, their usual argument begin.

"Oya, oya, what with the ruckus?" A aged-man with dark blue hair come out from the back, startling everyone.

"Otousan, didn't I said just stay home and rest." Umi speaks.

"Ah! It's you, Umi-chan. That's a surprise. I thought you already visit us last month." The man smiles.

"I did. I'm just taking a rest today."

"Well, that's even more surprising. I thought little princess omiai should be today."

~SILENCE~

"YOU SAID WHAT!?" The archer is practically yelling. Her brain is working twice the normal speed, processing every words.

"I said, the noble man from East is coming today to meet the princess. It said to be an omiai. Rumours do travel fast in this kingdom. How can you not know this, my little Umi?" The man repeats, with a better sentence this time.

Snapping her head to a side, she stares at the three girls who come with her to the town.

"You knew...That's why you're here. To keep me away. Those contest just a set-up!" The archer maintains her rage in minimum level.

"Ehem, the contest is not a set-up. It just something we had to come up with. We are going to do it for real too." The petite girl says, receiving a hard blow to her side.

"Stupid! You just telling her we do know something." The princess angry at her fake spy. She keep on beating the girl until someone tapping her shoulder.

"WHAT!?" Nozomi unfazed by the sudden outburst.

"She's gone." The maid point her index to the widely open door. The bluenette are nowhere near.

"Oh, no! We need to find her." The South lady rush out, pulling the blackhead girl by collar as Nozomi follows them from behind. They disappear as the door being slammed close.

"What just happened?" The two girls are dumbfounded.

"That's...my girls, how important is little princess to my daughter."

...

Searching for a while, they still couldn't find the archer.

"I heard someone said Umi-chan borrowed one of their horses." The purplenette speaks when they meet up after split up.

"Hah...she might as well reach the castle already, with her mood right now, nonetheless." Nico breathe heavily.

"Yeah...There's nothing we can do anymore. I hope she will be fine." The crimson princess relax her body.

"Glad she doesn't take the carriage." The small girl sit on the ground.

"Ma...she might still think of us, that's why she leave it here." The maid close her eyes, taking her breath in normal way now.

"Possible. It's Umi after all." Maki curve up her lip, showing a small smile.

Suddenly, the amethyst catch a running figure coming toward them.

"Help!" The woman falls. There are burn marks all over her body.

Eventhough, the redhead in shock, she immediately approach the woman.

"What happened?" The heiress straddle the injured woman.

"M-My house...Th-They caught..in fire..My son..still inside.." All the three widen their eyes in shock.

"Show it to us!" Nico almost shouts.

They carry the woman carefully but in fast pace. Nozomi was sent to get the medical kit that Maki has bring along inside the carriage.

When they reach the house, they could see there are already a crowd trying to put out the big fire. Some approach them as they see the owner of house. They don't really ask anything but to help the woman after realizing who she is. Maki send them to fetch some water to cool down the burns.

Meanwhile, Nico could only watch the fire getting bigger. She bites her lips. She could feel the shiver running through her body, the same one she used to feel. The rubies wander around to find opening as the men still couldn't decrease the rate of spreading.

_'Come on! There's life inside.'_ The petite girl determine to save the boy as a way to atone from the her past weakness.

Nozomi arrives to the incident place as fast as she can. Catching the sight of her mistress, she keep on moving with the medical kit in her arm.

"Maki-sama!" The said girl turn, looking at her maid. She know the purplenette tries to look only at her and she know why but a sudden scream pull they attention to the big fire.

Somehow one of the men is too close to the fire and it burn him a little. Realise she had lose focus on Nozomi, she return her head back only to see the girl crouch, convulsing on the ground. The medical kit was open from the fall and spill it contain around.

Yes, the girl has trauma whenever she see a big fire.

"Nishikino-sama, here, we had more to come." The helper hand a bucket full of cool water to her side.

Before the redhead could take it, it has be snatch away by none other than Nico herself.

"What are you doing?" The princess annoys

"I found a way in. It small but I think I could manage it." Not need a smart brain to figure out what the girl implying, Maki shouts. But it's too late as the bucket being empty and the petite girl disappear in the fire.

"NICO-CHAN!"

**The palace,**

Stealthily reaching the palace, the girl clad in blue uniform rides the horse she borrowed to the back of the castle. Settle down the horse, she tip toeing to place where Honoka usually sneak in during the old days.

_'I guess being friend with her does has it own benefit.'_

As she safely going thru the hole, she sighs in relief. Confidently believe she is out of danger, she start to walk aimlessly around. Unknown to her, there were traps waiting for her to trigger it herself which just happen to be right now.

'CLICK!'

"Hmm?" The archer raise her eyebrow when her right leg step deeper into the patch of grass. Without a warning, a net shot up from there. As skillful as she is, she manages to dodge it.

"What the..."

'CLAP!'

'CLAP!'

"As expected from you, Umi-san." Standing there is the head of the North Kingdom.

"Hime-sama why didn't you tell me something as important is this?" The bluenette tries to remain calm.

"About what exactly?" Well, people always say ignorance is a bliss.

"About today event of course. I should be there, protecting Kotori-sama." The girl point to the castle to strengthen her reason.

"I appreciate your protectiveness to my daughter but that trait of yours also the reason I sent you away." The grey-haired seems to move her hand in a weird gesture, alarming the soldier.

"What are you trying to say, hime-sama?" Bringing both her arm to the chest, guarding it.

"You really asking me that now, Umi-san?" There are a group of soldier appear at the back of the queen.

"What I want is to make sure Kotori-sama is safe." The archer bend her knee a bit, making her stand firmly.

"She's fine, don't worry." The rich woman walk until she is behind those soldier who had slowly approach the bluenette.

"Is this what I get from being protective?" The amber glare at every soldier, intimidating them.

"No. This is because you ignore my order." With one single action, the soldiers rush forward.

Taking a deep breath, Umi swiftly move one of her leg behind and punch whoever get near her on the jaw.

"I won't be satisfied until I see her." The punches and kicks are being exchanged between the soldiers. Unfortunately, the archer being overwhelmed by hundred of soldiers who happen to be prepared to attack after one had fall down.

"Hmm...I guess you just lose, Umi-san." The queen giggles while the bluenette still struggling to get out from the soldiers hold.

"Send her to the detention." The woman order before leaving the place.

As she physically and mentally drain, she let the soldier to carry her. Unknown to her, Queen Minami had ordered them to use the path where Umi can see her beloved princess.

It doesn't take long for the amber to find her love figure. She relief when she see the princess still safe and knowing Eri is there just make her think she's doing something stupid.

**Garden of Glasses,**

At the same moment of the two soldiers lead Umi to detention room, Eri look amuse at it while Kotori is absorbed with the her business partner.

"Eri-chan!"

"Y-Yes! What is it, Kotori-ojousama?" The sapphire focus on the princess.

"Did I say something funny? You've been grinning." The North heiress look curiously.

"No. Just remember something funny that's all." The blonde shake her head.

"Oh, could you share it with us?" The man who suppose to be Kotori's partner look in anticipation.

"I'm sorry, I just forgot what it was about." The swordswoman sweatdrops.

"That's cruel, getting my hopes up." The man exaggerate as he dramatically clutching his heart.

The man is the head of company which will collaborate with the royalty for their machinery to produce more the clothes and in the shortest time.

"I apologise for my knight cruelness." The silverhead bows while smiling.

"Don't worry about it. I guess we are close to dealing with the documents." The man grins.

"I think so too. We have discuss everything and doesn't seem to have any problem, might as well sign the deal." The heiress gesture to the swordgirl who had been carrying the official documents to hand those to her. The knight comply without protest.

Hearing the screeching on the paper stop, both of the rich people smile to each other before handing the documents back to the knight.

"Finally, the business is done." The man stretch his body. He take a few minutes to scan the garden. He stand and move closer to the bed of lilywhites.

"It's a very pretty garden. I'm sure whoever love this flower must be pretty too." With seductive tone, he flirt to the princess.

'_Indeed she__ is.'_ Both Kotori and Eri agree, thinking about two different people. Realizing that, they blush simultaneously.

"Thanks..." The heiress manages to speak without stutter as she remembers about her shy archer.

"Haha, don't be embarrassed. It's true." The man laugh teasingly. He look at his watch for a moment.

"Well, I should be going. It's going to be dark soon. I never notice the time." The man takes his coat from the chair while the girls ready themselves to escort the man to the front.

"What can I say, time pass away very fast when we with pretty ladies especially someone like you guys." He takes the princess hand and kiss the back of it.

"Flatterer. But you know it won't work on us." The blonde say as he enters the carriage.

"I know. I just want to see your reaction. I did told you that you weren't my type." The man winks and the carriage start to move, leaving the castle.

"And I'm glad I'm not." Eri chuckles.

"But you had to admit it's pretty funny." Kotori joins her.

"Whattt? You don't go around introducing yourself you're a masochist." The laughter continue.

"He did!" The laughter become louder.

"Hah...I think I have fun today." The princess wipe her tears just from laughter.

"From what? Looking how he practically flirt with everyone and got turn down politely." The swordmaster snorts.

"Yep! And I'm glad it wasn't Umi-chan with me today, Eri-chan. Thank you for accompany me." The heiress give her brightest smile.

"That just because you don't want he to fall in love with Umi."

"Of course! I know Umi-chan will stare at him to the oblivion while he will fall helpless under the gaze. I'm not giving my Umi-chan to anyone, eventhough he is a masochist." The girl puff her cheeks.

"How possessive, Kotori-ojousama." The knight teasing as she open the doo to enter the castle.

They walk in and meet with the rushing feline.

"Oh, Rin-chan, what's the hurry?" The grey-haired lady greets.

"Ah, Kotori-chan! Eri-chan! I'm about to go pick up Maki-chan and the others.

"Hmm...? I thought they had the royal carriage with them." The blonde become worry.

"They have. But it seems something had happened and none of them can't ride it, nya!" The orangehead girl is fixing her official outfit.

"What exactly happened?" The princess and her knight become worry, especially the latter.

"Rin don't really know nya! They said something about fire. Ah! Rin need to hurry before it get too dark nya! Putting the hat on her head, the girl rush out, grabbing her precious Merry and disappear from the girls sight.

"What are they doing outside the palace?" The amber glance at the girl next to her, not knowing the three whereabouts for the whole day.

"Just doing some shopping, so I heard." The sapphire just looking outside with a blank expression.

**The town,**

The fire finally had been put down for hours before. Now, near the place, the only one there are the people who had been injured by the fire and people who doing the treatment.

"Ouch, ouch! Please be gentle, Maki-chan!" The girl hiss as the aloe vera gel being apply to her skin.

"Stop moving! You done this yourself!" The doctor rub the gel all over the burn mark. She evidently angry.

"Hey, Maki-chan..look at me.." Nico's soft voice gains the redhead attention.

"I'm okay. The boy is safe. Everything is fine. Everyone is alive. Just smile already, Nico-Nico-Niiiiyeoww!" The crimson princess purposely tighten the bandage as tight as she can.

"That sound okay." The monotone voice give a shiver to the petite girl as much as the amethyst glare. The South lady goes to other patient who been waiting. Don't need to admit anything, the princess practically rush to the black-haired girl side as soon she was out from the fire.

Soothing her pain arm, the ruby wanders around and catch the sight of the purplenette. She notices the girl shaken badly though the maid just smile to the one she has been treating.

Stand wobbly, the little spy goes to her mistress side.

"Nozomi is shaking horribly. What's with her?" The other girl seems unresponsive so Nico tries to speak again but cut off by the girl.

"She has a trauma. Before you asking any further, I just want to say that the fire is the cause. I don't know anything else. She wouldn't told me." Maki explain as she diligently work on the patient.

"Maybe I'll try to talk to her about that later." The raven-haired girl focus her sight on her cousin.

"Just so you know..."

"I know, don't shock her unexpected news. You'd told me before. And thanks for the treatment, doctor-san. I feel a lot better." The girl turn to the heiress. The burgundy orbs give out a warm sensation, making the other girl blush.

"T-That's just what the doctor job for! You better take care of yourself or I'm going to do it for you!" The red-haired girl stand abruptly and go to another patient.

'Hmm...the second choice seems tempting.' Nico grins.

Not knowing to the people, a person is been snapping some pictures of the incident.

"This could make a good story."

Not long after, Rin arrives.

**The palace,**

"Hah~I'm full. Never had a good food like today." The greyhead mewls happily, rubbing her tummy.

"You said that everytime the dessert is the cheesecake, Kotori." Eri bluntly states as she takes the final bite of the dessert.

"Now, for my last duty for today, follow me Kotori." The knight beckon the latter to follow who has no objection.

"Why are we going to detention room, Eri-chan? Can't we just interrogate them tomorrow." Knowing exactly the path she's been walking on.

"I think you might like this one."

"Oh, really?" Kotori don't know whether to feel excited or curious.

The blonde said something to the guard near the door and receive the keys. Unlocking the door, the guard smile to the princess as she walk into the room.

Going to the end of the room where previously Nico's room, the two stand in front of the dark cubicle. Brave herself, the sword wielder put in her arm between the bar and start searching for the switch. The room suddenly become bright as her finger push the right button.

The princess gasps, staring at the figure laying on the bed in the middle of the cubicle. The dark blue mane sprawls as the girl in deep sleep.

"What the meaning of this? You said she was taking a rest." The heiress confuse.

"She did or should I say she are?" The swordgirl tries to humour her mistress.

"Be serious, Eri-chan..." The bird pouts angrily.

"Well, as you can see anyone who had been here must has done something wrong."

"But she would never..." Kotori grips the bar before she gasps in realisation.

"Did she receive some kind of order?"

"That's actually a good question, Kotori-ojousama. Now, what was it again...Ah! The order is for Umi-chan not to be available inside the palace for whole day."

"Ehh? Is that why you telling me she was taking a rest today?" The blonde nod, earning a chuckle from the other girl.

"Yet, I call you insensitive when I'm the one should be called that." The words are directly to the sleeping girl behind the bar.

"She might found about the omiai at the town." Eri close her distance to the princess.

"Why are you showing me this when I can't be there for her?" The amber searching for the sapphire.

"You know the magic word, Kotori." The azure look back, unwavered.

Look deeper, Kotori get the permission.

"Open this lock, Eri-chan." She look again to the blue orb and without hesitation, tell the magic word.

"Meirei yo."

"As you wish, ojousama." The key enter the keyhole and all the lock being release.

Entering the cubicle, the princess quietly go to the sleeping beauty, doesn't want to wake the girl. Gently sit on the bed, she stare sweetly to the bluenette. Tugging the hair back to the girl ear, Kotori feel Umi unconsciously nuzzles on her palm.

_'Cute.'_

"Eri-chan! I decide to sleep here today!" The heiress facing to her knight. Her happy expression doesn't allow no as a answer

"Just so you know she still will get the punishment." Eri sighs.

"I know. Just allow my selfishness slide for today please~' The girl pleads with her best puppy eyes.

"O~Okay~You're the princess. And should I..." The blonde look at the key and the bar simultaneously for a moment.

"Nevermind. I should take my leave now. Have a goodnight, Kotori-ojousama." The knight walks away from the cubicle and exit the detention room. The keys are hand back to the guard. She also tell about the princess inside.

_'You should be grateful I don't ask her whether to lock it or not, Umi.'_

Eri moves straight to her room as she feels the work finally tired her out. Seeing her room in her peripheral, she hasn't expect to see the one she's been missing and worried for the whole day.

Rubbing her eyes with her good hand, make sure it isn't an illusion. The figure doesn't disappear. Feeling excited, she almost shout the name but hold when she see the figure seems frail. She also notice how badly the girl shaken up.

"Toujou-san..."

The purplenette jolt in surprise but soon relax as she recognize the figure that has approaching her.

"Ayase-san..."

As the two are close enough, their orbs automatically lost in each other.

"I-I just want to say hi. We haven't meet today. So, how was your day?" The maid break their connection, duck her head to avoid the other to see her red face.

"It's unusual at least. How about you? I heard about what happened. How bad was it? You didn't get hurt, right?" The swordswoman become frantic and start to take a view in every corner of the girl body.

Nozomi giggles. Her heart feels warm from the way the royal soldier display her affection.

"I'm fine. I was technically there to treat the victim not being one of them." The maid grips her side to cover her shaking hands, but it doesn't escape the azure.

"Oh, I'm glad you're okay." The knight rubs her back of head.

"Well, you must be tired. I'll take my leave then." Acting on reflex, Eri grasps the purplehead hand.

"A-Ayase-san?" The blush intensify the moment Nozomi feels their fingers interlace with each other.

"Do you want to sleep with me tonight?"

Hot smoke come out from the maid ears as she heard the latter question.

Realizing how her question could sound so wrong, the blonde stutters.

"I-I mean like a sleepover. Just like friends. N-Nothing indecent." Oh, how the soldier wanted to dig a hole and hide in it as she heard her own last word.

Still connecting their hands, Nozomi squeezes it gently.

"I would like that." Her smiles lift up the sword wielder anxiety.

Don't want to dwell on it any longer, they enter the room. They will have to take turn to go in washroom.

"I'll get your clothes while you in there." The swordswoman says, leaving the room. She doesn't want the same thing to happen twice.

After the purplenette finish washing up, she put the clothes which has been fetched by the soldier. The two change places as it's the blonde turn to refresh herself.

Laying on the bed, Nozomi waits for the latter to finish. However, as she rolls her body, her nose take a sniff on the pillow. The soothing scent of her crush make her drowse and she slowly close her eyes.

"Ah! That's good." The knight walk out, drying her long golden tresses with the towel.

"Are you been waiting for me?" The sapphire scans the room and see the sleeping figure on her bed.

"Guess not." She smiles. Sitting near the edge, Eri keep on watching the girl. The purplenette are no longer shaken, the breathing pattern has return to normal.

_'She's look peaceful.'_

The blonde leans in and kiss the sleeping girl on the forehead. Her cheeks burn from her unpredicted action. She quickly slide into the cover and close her eyes, forcing herself to sleep.

...

Meanwhile, the princess of the kingdom has been caressing her childhood friend hair. Good thing the bluenette is sleeping, or she probably having nosebleed from this action.

"You're beautiful, Umi-chan. You've been telling me that while I was pretending to be asleep, you know, Umi-chan." The heiress giggles, she put her head under the girl chin and her palm to the girl chest, feeling the slow heart pulse.

"Perhaps, you're pretending too right now..." Unfortunately there's no reaction from the unconscious archer.

"Hah...There's a moment I really hate you, Umi-chan. You let the rumours go around like it was the truth. Though I know what you're trying to do, yet I can't help but to feel mad at you. And while I want to keep on angry at it, here you are, being thrown to this room because of me. You make me helplessly in love you again." The heiress fingers trace along the soldier jawline, stopping when she brushes the lip.

"When are you going to tell me the words I've be long to hear..."

~SILENCE~

"Mou! I practically like an idiot talking to myself. This all because of you, Umi-chan! Baka, Umi-chan!" The mistress grunts and pouts, just for a second as the amber soften.

"My baka."

She leans toward the bluenette and kiss her cheek before settling back in the girl arms.

"Good night, Umi-chan."

**TO BE CONTINUE...**


	7. Chapter 7

Sorry for late update.

Thanks for still supporting me. And applause to the reviewers, followers and those favorites.

Disclaimer: I do not own Love Live.

_**A Knight's Princess**_

**"Hai everyone! Kousaka Honoka is finally here! This time it's my time to shine. Hohoho Honoka...! Wait...that doesn't sound right when I'm practicing it. Oh well...So, what you guys want to know? Ah, I can tell you the first time I met Kotori-chan and Umi-chan."**

**"Ehhh?! You knew it already? How that's happened? Now I don't know what to do..."** The ginger-haired girl curls into a ball at the corner of the kitchen while the other try to comfort her. To not ruin the format any further, they just ask Honoka to tell anything she remembered from the past. With a sullen face, the girl just speak whatever that come into her mind.

…..

_That day was a very busy day that I ever counter. I'd only been here for a month so it amazed me how hard is to prepare the food for the gathering. It was a truce party if I'm not mistaken._

_Being an apprentice of the top royal chef, I got scolded for a zillion times for...well, being me. That day was no exception either. As I was in the kitchen, preparing for the crowds, Umi-chan and Eri-chan followed their father to greet them in the reception hall._

_Eri-chan was the same like me. She was here because of the punishment job. Did she sneaked in just like me too? Instead of being kitchen helper, she was more to man-powered kind of job, such as lifting heavy things, carrying the goods. They even put her in the stable. I'd wondered what make her received so many punishments. Much to my surprise later, I found out she got caught because of thievery. That put my sneaked in act to a shame!_

**"Wait! Why am I proud to be a trespasser anyway?!"**

**"Ho-Honoka-chan..., please don't be distracted."**

**"Oh, yeah...right...hee hee hee."**

_Furthermore, I learned she was adopted by Sonoda. I won't even know about if I don't pry Umi-chan, looking she always been a supervisor for every Eri-chan jobs._

_"Umi-chan! Umi-chan! You still hasn't introduce me to her." Shaking the bluenette with my child energy._

_"Honoka! I'm working. Bug me later." The young soldier amber focused on the blonde, taking notes on her every action. Since she's the one struggled with the older girl, her father had given the supervising job to her. The man had thought it might help the two of them bonding._

_"How can I treat as family when we always five meter away." It was amazing how I could pay attention to that quiet mumble._

_"Eh? You two are family? But I thought you are an only child, Umi-chan." Being loud as I am, I felt a pair of sapphire orbs staring at me._

_"I am. My father just adopted her and her little sister to be part of my family. Basically, she became my older sister but I can't seem to make her talk to me. I guess she still mad at me for capturing her." The young bluenette sighed, unaware of the stray stare of the older girl._

_Well, since the blonde already look at me, I don't hesitate to introduce myself. By yelling that is._

_"HAI! I'M KOUSAKA HONOKA! WHAT YOU'RE NAME, UMI-CHAN SISTER?!" Both of the soon-to-be soldier startled._

_"Ho-Honoka! You can't say something like that out loud!" Umi was flustered so did the other girl, but she's good at hiding it._

_The blonde then coughed silently before she walked close to both of the younger girls._

_"Nice to meet you too, Kousaka-san. I'm Ayase Eri." The girl held her right hand out for a shake. Not going to waste it, I grabbed her hand firmly._

_"Mou, Eri-chan~Honoka is fine. We both are the same anyway."_

_"The same?" That act opened Eri up a bit._

_"Yes! I'm here because of the punishment job too!" Everyone would be facepalmed hearing how enthusiastic I was when saying that. Well, Umi-chan already did._

_"Really? What did you do?" The blonde face seemed to soften._

_"She countlessly sneak into the palace." Umi-chan answered while glaring at me intensely._

_"Hahaha, but...Umi-chan! You're my partner-in-crime too!"_

_"Wha! I-I ignored you because of Kotori-chan! Or else you be in jail by now!" The bluenette frantically tried to defend herself._

_"Still, you are my accomplice." Earning a low growl from my friend._

_That did it. Finally, Eri-chan burst in laughter._

_"And here I thought how serious you are..." The azure looked at her sister for a few seconds. Her face reddened for a bit._

_"Umi..."_

_The amber shot up after hearing the blonde said her name for the first time. Before she could speak, the older girl continued._

_"It wasn't because I hate you or anything. I was just bad with people. With what happening to us, I'm grateful Sonoda-san took us in and I'm glad it was you who caught me. Otherwise, Arisa won't be having good life as now. So, thank you, Umi." Eri now was facing the young girl._

_"And if it's okay with you, I too would like to treat you as a family." For the first time, I saw the blonde smiled._

_Being a shy girl, Umi-chan just blurt out what was on her mind._

_"Th-That doesn't mean I should start calling you nee-san or oneesama, okay!? Eri..." The amber orbs took a peek at the older girl only to see a grin plastered on her face._

_"I wouldn't prefer any other way. So, this mean I can start teasing how lovestruck you are with our princess?" Eri-chan expression hasn't change. It make me joined in the teasing too._

_"That's right! Umi-chan really are in love with Kotori-chan!"_

_"W-Wait! Isn't it too early to start teasing!? Ho-Honoka! Not you too!" If anyone start asking what the most red thing I ever saw, I'll definitely say it was Umi-chan face._

**"Wait! Wasn't I wanted to talk about the truce party? How can I sidetrack to Eri-chan story?!"**

**"Don't worry Honoka-chan. I think that one is good too, nya! Now, on to the story."**

**"But! The truce partyyyyyy!"**

**Chapter 7: Good news? Bad news?**

"AH! This is never-ending!"

A young girl clads in blue sleeveless shirt cover in dirt. The sweat glister on her forehead slowly trickle down to her chin. Wiping it off, she continues to stack the hay in one place. The long strand of the dark blue hair swings side to side as she does that.

"This really bring back all the memories." Another girl with her light blue uniform sits on the bundles of hay. Her right hand is playing with the pen as the other clasping on the clipboard.

"Only the roles are reverse though." The girl giggles. She now put her chin on her palm, amuse by the sight in front of her.

"Eri. If you don't have anything to do, please stop talking." The bluenette grunts, tying up the bunch of hay collected.

"Eh~? But I'm bored. How did you do this last time?" The blonde moves her peripheral vision back to the board, ticking something on it.

"Hmmm...I just observe and tick whatever on the clipboard if it was fulfilled. That's how supervising the prisoner got done."

"It's rhetorical question, Umi! You don't need to answer it seriously." The knight sighs, resting her back on the wall behind her.

"I know. You did said you're boring. So, how do I do?" Taking out her handkerchief, wiping the dirt off her body. She combs neatly her bang that was sticking from the sweat.

"It's fine. You're done for this morning...but there's something need to be done at the afternoon." Eri put away the board, scoot aside, giving the other girl room to seat.

"There's still work for me huh..." Umi flops down, stretching her body. Opening the flask filled with warm green tea, which had been sent by Hanayo just a moment ago, she drinks slowly.

"Well, Minami-hime was going to give you just half-a-day punishment since she said it was bad enough to lose you for an hour or so, but she decided to against it...after what you did this morning." The swordmaster glance aside, looking at the stiff girl who are busy gulping the rest of the tea. She can't make out whether the red face of the other cause by the earlier event or the pain scalding on her tongue.

"So, did you sleep well?"

Umi spurts some of the tea, hearing the unexpected question. She tries to control herself from nose bleeding. She whispers something to herself.

_'I thought I was in heaven.'_

"She's going to be super mad when she wakes up, you know." With that, a loud screeching and a flock of birds flying away from a certain part of the castle.

"Oh! I guess she's up!" The tall blonde says nonchalantly.

"Ergh...I deal with that later..." The archer sighs, chewing a piece of tuna sandwich that she received.

"I thought it was a good chance for you two reconcile it." The older look at her sister, expecting to hear some explanation.

"Well...I was going to wait for her to wake up but..." Pressing her index together, she looks elsewhere other than her adopted sister.

"Really? You chickened out last minute!" The blonde facepalmed.

"I was enjoying her sleeping face at first then...she started to shift a-and my soldier instinct just kicked in!" Umi stutters certainly indicate there's more story to it. But Eri shrugs it when she see the girl blush hardly while the archer controls herself from fainting, remembered the bare skin of her mistress as the kimono revealed it during the movement.

"So, this soldier instinct of yours said to threaten the door keeper as you carried the princess back to her room." The knight pinch the bridge of her nose.

"Umm..yes! How's the keeper?" The younger girl tries to grin but fail miserably

"Luckily he didn't get fired. But, his pay has been reduced."

"I guess an apologize needed for that." The bluenette rubs the back of her head, feeling guilty. She starts to recount her pay and hope to give some of it to the poor guy.

After satisfy with the planning and reorganizing, one topic come to the blue-haired protector mind. Hesitate at first, she turns to her adopted sister. The determine amber meets the curious azure.

"S-So, h-how was the omiai?!" Somehow Umi feels goosebumps on whole her body as she see a glint of mischievous in those blue orbs.

"Oh! It was a success!" Eri smiles, making the archer heartbroken.

"I-Is that so..." Even her inside is shredding into pieces, the bluenette face can still maintain her facade.

"When is it?" The deep voice of the girl tells the blonde to stop making it any worse but it can't hurt to play a bit.

"When what?"

"The wedding..."

"Probably never."

"Huh? Didn't you said it was a success?!" With mixed emotion inside, Umi can't help but want to lash at the older girl instead, she holds herself.

"It was."

"Eri...!"

"There wasn't any marriage proposal though."

"Eh?"

"It just a normal business meeting."

"EHHHHH!? Wait! You mean the omiai was a bluff?" The archer stands, her head is confuse with the new information.

"The other party just want it to sound very important however it just for the collaboration of their company and us." The swordmaster expect the other girl sighs in relief or at least cheer up, instead the archer flabbergast.

"I thought you'll be happy to hear this." Eri raises her eyebrow.

"HAPPY? I FEEL STUPID. I MEAN, I STOLE THE HORSE IN THE TOWN, RUSHED HERE, GET CAUGHT BY HUNDRED SOLDIERS, THROWN TO THE PRISON AND ALL OF THEM FOR NOTHING! ERGHH...now I really want my vacation..." The anger left her as a large amount of energy being seeps away from her body. She settles herself down, facing the swordswoman.

"Umi...Umm...We..."

"I don't regret it." The blonde stares at the bluenette.

"I know you want to apologize but don't. I will do anything if it concerns Kotori-sama no matter what. The one I regret is probably leaving the town. If I know Kotori-sama is safe, things could be different." The young soldier ducks her head.

"I doubt that. Whether you're there or not, the fire will start as the fate wanted." The older soldier tries to comfort the latter.

"Somehow, it isn't like you to say such thing." The young soldier chuckles.

"There's a time even someone like me can do that. Anyway, look! Isn't it better this way?" The knight picks something beside her, which certainly known as newspaper and unfold it to show the front cover of the news.

'**BLESS TO THE SOUTH PRINCESS! ALL HAIL TO OUR SAVIOR!'**

A pair amber keep on reading the black and white paper in front of her. A smile slowly creeps onto her lip.

"I guess they did save the day."

"Um, this is good for showing our relationship with the other kingdom. This even has their picture in it." The blue-sky eyes stares on one particular figure of the picture. She unconsciously traces her callous finger to it, which do not go unnoticed by the younger girl.

"Nee...Eri...What's your relationship with Nozomi?" Umi avoid herself from looking at the latter.

"What question is that? We're friend." The blonde just laugh it off.

"Is that so..." Now, the bluenette is tapping both her index together.

"If you want to say something, just spit it out." The swordgirl folds the newspaper and put it aside.

"W-WELL, I SAW HER LEAVING YOUR ROOM! YOU TWO WOULDN'T HAVE ANYTHING, R-RIGHT? E-EVEN IF YOU HAVE, IS NOT APPROPRIATE T-TO SLEEP TOGETHER! E-ESPECIALLY NOT IN THE PALACE!" The archer says in one breath. She obviously blushing very hard.

"Oh, you knew about that. Is not like I want to hide it anyway but yesterday Toujou-san was so shaken up. So, I kinda invite her to sleep with me. H-HOWEVER NOTHING NAUGHTY HAPPENED. AHH! I MEAN WE'RE JUST FRIEND, I WON'T DO ANYTHING TO HER. SO, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY!" None of them expect the conversation to lead this way. They both end up blushing.

"I guess it's fine then..." The heated atmosphere cool down a bit. Despite that, Umi can't help but ponder on Nozomi yesterday state.

'_What makes her so shaken up? I need to ask Maki later.'_

After taking a deep breath, Eri glance at the bluenette, not realizing the girl is in her thinking mode. Taking another breath, she speaks.

"Umi, I have a confession to make."

That snap the girl from her reverie. Staring blankly at the older girl before she could process what goes into her ears.

"W-WOAHHH! M-MY HEART ONLY BELONG TO KOTORI-SAMA! A-AND WE'RE SISTER! THIS SHOULD N-NEVER HAPPEN BETWEEN US!" The blue soldier shrieks, covering her chest with both her arms. She totally misunderstand everything.

"Hah~I wonder what to feel about that? I bet Kotori would be please to hear that. Anyway, this got nothing to do with what your little brain has been thinking." The blonde knight sighs after that.

"But it does concerning about a girl I have a crush on." Eri then bury her face into both her hands, feeling embarrassing for revelation.

Watching every movement of the other girl, Umi knows something have been bothering her soldier-in-arm. So, she decides to be serious.

"Nozomi, right?"

"Am I that obviously?" Still doesn't look up.

"Not really. There's rumors though."

'_And I was expected it anyway. Everyone is.'_ She add on her mind.

"I guess so...or Toujou-san will be scared of me if she knows." The girl gives a soft chuckle.

"So, what's on your mind?" Even though she wants to counter the earlier statement, she let it slide.

_'They can figure it out themselves.'_

"The truth is, I used to dream about this little girl with a purple-haired. It struck me when I first met Toujou-san. She does look like the one I dreamed about, no...I bet she's the one in my dream. I thought it was probably some kind of sign. I don't dream about the little girl anymore but...everytime I look at Toujou-san, I feel this uneasiness inside my heart. I just wonder what it is and I always end up frustrate over it. Anyway, thanks. I think I want to let it out somehow." A melancholic face turn into a smile one at the end of the conversation. Umi get the gist of it, however she still has hesitation on what to do.

"Hey, Eri. I have a question to ask. A hypothetically, I guess. If you made a promise to someone to not reveal about something, would you still tell her about that if it will help her, somehow?" The bluenette stares her feet as if they the only one interested right now.

"Basically you want to say that you make a promise with a girl." That response isn't what the archer expect to hear.

"That's not the point!"

"Haha, relax a bit. You seem so stiff. About that question, hmm...I certainly wouldn't like to break a promise. There must be another way to do it." The blonde words make the latter reconsider her decision.

"You're right. There always be another ways. I don't know what exactly you feel about Nozomi but I might be able to guess. For me, maybe she remind you of something in the past. Memories are fragile after all."

As if a cue, both of them are slowly standing up. Brushing all the dust away from their body, they look at each other, smiling.

"Thanks, that's probably it. I try to remember something then. Oh! By the way, I thought I'd seen Shiro-tousan earlier. He directly wanted to speak with Minami-himesama. The guards having problem whether to let him or not, but they decided the former when hearing him said he will talk to her daughter about this." The knight grins as they walk out from the barn.

"Eh? What that old man doing here? Even so, he totally used me!" Umi note to herself to scold her father about using her as a gateway later.

**Minami-hime's office**,

"So, what do you intend to discuss before I kick your ass out myself?" A woman with a long greyish tresses says without looking at the person in front of her, continuing signing the paper that was begging her since yesterday.

"Hime-chan~don't be so cold to me~" A man around the queen's age sulks.

"Might as well start talking now before I get any colder."

"How cold. No wonder my Umi-chan being thrown to prison mercilessly." The man now grins.

Looking at the man suspiciously, the woman drops her pen then straighten herself. She isn't a psychic or good at supernatural thing, but knowing the man as long as she can remember she know there's something serious to talk about.

"I could say you're not really want to talk about your daughter. Despite that, I think she done well enough. She willingness and devotion to my daughter apparently one of her best aptitude. No rules or orders are above that. I see her compatible as what we want her to be." Minami-hime smiles.

"Hmm...amusing. So, she pass?" The retired soldier stroke his unshaven beard.

"Who knows? She still hasn't make any movement. Anybody still has the chance." The North Queen slyly grins.

"Well then, I'm not going to do anything about it." He just smile.

"Ara~And here I thought you're going to blow up because I'm kind of tarnish the Sonoda name."

"Hahaha, she still young. Her crime record need to be fill by something." Umi father laughs, doesn't even care his daughter just make the record yesterday.

"Then, what is your true reason to be here, Former Defense Minister, Sonoda Yoshiro-san?" The woman deliberately says his title slowly.

"That give me a shiver, Hime-chan. Thanks for the prolong by the way. Now, I want to know about this." The man slide this morning newspaper on the table. Just take a peek on it, the queen knows what it was about. Before she could say anything...

"I only noticed it this morning. Umi-chan did bring them yesterday. I just thought nothing of them at first but now...what is the meaning of this? No matter what I think, these two...they are the royalty from the West Kingdom." The aged-man points his index on the picture while raising his eyebrow.

"I'm aware of your concern. Yes, the ones in the picture are them." The woman sighs.

"So, they did survived. But wait, why this still not tell to the public? This could end the mystery of the incident, unless something is wrong, right? What's to be the problem?"

"Sharp as ever. Yes, I suppose there are problems. Unfortunately, if we tend to reveal about their existence, it would likely for the incident to be in question again, unless we have a full knowledge on the matter, it would be no problem."

"So, you want to say is the girls can't help you with this. If not, you're already got the information you need." The man smirks.

"That's right. One point for you!" Minami-hime tries to sound cheerful but fail miserably.

…..

"Amnesia ka...That's really sad to hear. Despite that, I think she could manage. Her friends are with her, right? I mean my daughter is one of them. Hahahaha!" The former soldier seems confident.

"Geez, your confident really one of your good point." The grey-haired queen massage her temple.

"That because Hime-chan worry too much. Talking about worry, how's the deal with the Westeria?" Leans his back on the chair, crossing both his well-built arms.

"They supposed to give the answer by now." The woman also leans her back.

"Whether for the West to be under North Kingdom faction or whether to stand on their own. That was their choice, right?" The man says, earning a nod by latter.

"It wasn't about claiming whose kingdom it is. We just don't want any problem with unauthorized kingdom. It was the decision we all, the Royal Council make for the world peace.

"Royal Council...Wasn't the leader should be from the East? Why are you the one doing this?"

"I guess...I kind of volunteer it myself." The woman scratch her cheek, blushing a bit.

"That's unexpected. You usually just want to sit back in everything."

"Mou...It was before I'm being crowned. Can't you please stop being sarcastic! I thought it was my responsibility since I'm close to the Toujou's, aside the Nishikino's." Minami-hime balled her hand under the table.

"Now that I remembered, the Nishikino troops were being ambushed, right?"

"Yes, during the incident, I got a telegram from them. They said they were going to the West for rescuing mission but the troops being ambushed halfway and the Nishikino's gone missing, probably dead that what the remains said."

"Can't the survivors in the troops describe their attackers?"

"Unfortunately not, they said it happened too fast and before they knew it, they were on the ground, unconscious." The powerful lady look at the man as he stands and rubbing the back of his head.

"That's that then. We can't do much. Well, I've to go. I wonder how my little girls are faring without me in the shop?"

"I bet they are fine with or without you." The queen manages to hide her smirk.

"Hey! A man can dream, right? Well, see you later. Farewell, Your Highness." As any good soldier should be, the man bow down and leave the room.

**The kitchen,**

"OKAY! RIN WILL INTRODUCE THEM TO YOU, NYA!"

"ON THE LEFT SIDE, OUR TOP AND MASTER OF FOOD IN WHOLE WIDE WORLD, KOUSAKA HONOKA-CHAN, NYA!" A loud applause and cheering could be heard as the said girl bow and pose a 'victory' sign. She has been wearing her official uniform with a tall chef hat for once.

"NOW, ON MY RIGHT SIDE, OUR YOUNG AND NEWBORN CHEF THAT COME TO CHALLENGE OUR BEST, NICO-CHAN!" The room become quiet. All the staff just stare at the black-haired girl. No one know who she is except that she came along with the South princess. Try to attract the attention, Nico does her signature pose.

"Mou! How could you guys ignore Nico~ But its okay, it won't be long before you all fall in love with me. Now, smile with me, Nico-Nico-Nii!" The sight of the petite sweet smile, all the men blush while the women keep on saying how cute her pose is.

"SAA! WHICH OF THESE TWO WILL WIN THE CONTEST, NYA!? PLEASE PICK YOUR WINNER!" An exuberant cat-like girl announce while her childhood friend collects the money from the other staffs of the kitchen who are watching their leader versus anonymous peasant.

"I won't lose!"

"Neither do I!"

The shout from the contestants fuel the audiences to yell as well. Both of the cook standing in their own place, knife in the hand. They shake hand before the whistle blow.

'PFFFTT!'

With that, the peasant rashly take an onion and slice it within a seconds. After realizing she has more than enough amount of the onion, she raise the knife and pose carefully to the audience. Not forgetting her flirting wink. The crowd go wild.

"Hmm, too slow Nico-chan." The older woman turn to her rival. Her ruby dart on the cutting board of the chef. All of the ingredient on it. Honoka grins as she raise the knife.

'SWOOSH!' 'SWOOSH!'

All has been cut in a swift motion. Not wanting to lose, the small girl deliberately close her gap to the young girl and bumps her, making the board fall along with everything on it. She then quickly run back to her station as the ginger-haired girl chase her with the knife in the hand. The staffs only laugh, seeing the scene unfold in front of them.

It takes a few minutes before they calm themselves and the contest will be start from the beginning. This time both party play fair and none problem arise. They start to clean the utensil as they waiting for their dishes to cook. Other staff had start prepping to make the dessert as the contest could only be judge during the lunch for tasting time.

"Fuu~ It was really intense, Nico-chan." Honoka and Nico resting themselves nearby pantry before Rin and Hanayo join them.

"But it's fun, nya!"

"Of course it will. I'm Yazawa Nico after all. Everything is fun when you are with me, Nico-Nico-Nii." She strike her signature posture.

"B-But, what we should do with this?" The maid shows the girls a jar full of money.

"YOU BET ON US?" Both peasant and chef bewildered.

"Well...Rin just said whatever Rin usually heard." She nonchalantly says.

_'Where did you go to hear something like that usually, Rin-chan?'_ The greenette shudder.

"Whatever, just keep the money so we can return back to them." Being the oldest one there, Nico make decision. Everyone just agree on it.

…..

"Now that you are here Nico-chan, Rin never really know this, but how did Nico-chan and Honoka-chan met?" The lime eyes stare excitedly to the girls in question.

"Eh? How did we met?" The chef look at the older girl and vice-versa.

"Rin, sorry to disappoint you, but we met like any normal person would. In the royal party." The ex-princess tell to now downcast coachgirl.

"That's it? NO explosion or something to make you guys meet each other, nya?" The girl keep trying with a pout on her face.

"Nope. Just a normal party." The raven-haired firmly state.

"Ah~So boring, nya!"

"Rin-chan! W-We also meet them during the royal gathering." The petite maid whisper to her friend. Before anyone could say anything, they be interrupt by one of the kitchen staff.

"Hey, Honoka-chan! Nico-chan! You might want to stop that before they burnt to dust." Both girl automatically turn their head. The ruby and sapphire simultaneously bulge. They quickly make way to the spot, struggling with each other.

"IT'S YOUR FAULT! YOU DISTRACTING ME!"

**The stable**,

"Is this has become your favorite place or what? The violet strand of hair flutter as the wind blow. Its owner slowly turn around, meeting her jade orbs to the navy orbs. Her lip carve into a small smile.

"Not quite. Mine would be the Glass of Garden." Her hand hasn't stop rubbing the white horse neck. Atlas sighs in delight.

"That's hurt a bit however nice choice nevertheless." The knight approach toward her horse and Nozomi, as she reach the spot, she nuzzles the stallion muzzle.

"It's weird how he warmed up so quickly to you. Usually he will be all grumpy toward people especially the one he's not familiar with." This time Eri stretch her right arm, messing with the horse mane.

"So you are excusing for me using some kind of black magic or what to make this boy fall in love with me?" The personal maid pouts, but her eyes clearly said she's joking.

"Haha! As if. You too beautiful to be a witch." The swordmaster laughs, not realizing a word she has spoken. Meanwhile, the girl beside her tries to suppress herself from blushing but fail, no surprise in that.

"Nee...Ayase-san. What are we?" The purplenette question the swordgirl with her face facing the ground. It takes awhile for the laughter to subside before the blonde turns her face to look at the maid.

"Ha...We are friend, right?" The aftereffect of the laughter makes Eri smile. Seeing the goofy face of her crush, Nozomi also smile despite her heart feels sad somehow. Being the animal he is, Atlas butthead his oblivious master.

"OWW! What was that for, Atlas? His owner sneers, rubbing the back her head to soothe the pain. To get back, the soldier childishly slap hard on the horse cheek, earning a grunt from the beast. The purplehead giggles to the scene, making the knight conscious of her action.

"Ah, Toujou-san, I was going to take this little mean boy for a stroll. Would you like to join me?" Referring to the albino horse, the blonde bow a bit, offering her right hand to the other woman.

"B-But I never ride a horse before!" Nozomi kinda shouts, startles by the sudden invitation. She keep both her hand close to her chest.

"Don't worry, I'll be with you." Eri gently takes the latter hand. She then use her other hand to unlock the horse compartment and cue Atlas to walk out. The cremello horse trots, stopping right in front of his master.

"Hold on tight."

"HYAA!" Nozomi squeals, feeling the soldier hands on her waist. The blonde easily lift the girl and position her on the white stallion. She laughs a bit after seeing the maid reaction.

_'She quite light despite...'_ The words hang in her mind when her lapis lazuli travel to the latter 'asset'. Instead seeing it with the clothes covering it, she see the uncensored one. The swordwoman quickly shake her head, removing all inappropriate images.

While the knight busy herself putting the rein on the horse, the purplenette calm herself and tries to not fall from the beast. During that time, she pats the stallion mane. She lost in daze, feeling a familiar scene. Finishing all the preparation, Eri ask the other girl to scoot aside so she can sit on Atlas but only get a silent treatment from the girl.

"Toujou-san?" A touch to her thigh wake her from the reverie, instead of the melodious voice.

"Ah! Y-Yes?! Sorry, I was thinking of something. What was it, Ayase-san?"

"Oh, I was just asking you to scoot forward a bit." The violet-haired woman frantically does that and almost topple. Luckily, the soldier manage to catch her while she mounts the stallion. The knight pulls the maid closer to her, ending the purplenette under her chin.

"Be careful." Eri advice. Nozomi keeps apologizing until she realize her position. She suppress herself from screaming and hiding her now flush face on the blonde chest. Not long after, she feels the latter slow heartbeat and start to relax.

"Are you ready?" The hot breath belong to the chevalier tickles Nozomi ear, sending a shudder throughout her body. Not trusting her voice, she just nod. The blonde isn't sure what to make of the movement she feels, so she look down and try to ask again. However, blue sky clashes with green forest. Realizing how approximately her lips with the latter, she hurrily lift her face, staring the the stable ceiling.

"Ehem...Yes. I'm ready." The purplehead says, noticing how awkward things has become.

"O-Okay, just cling to me." Despite she's blushing, hearing the words come out of her own mouth, the knight remain in control. She tugs the rein, making the cremello horse trots before start to gallop after getting out the stable.

"Wha! Ayase-san, slow down." The maid clutch the knight arm like her life depend on it while the latter enjoying the warmth on her open arm.

**Dining room,**

A beautiful, gorgeous ash-brown hair sway, following the motion of her owner hip. All the mesmerizing sight crush with a loud and unladylike yawn by the girl.

"Uwaaa~" Rubbing her eyes as she enters the dining room. The amber orbs then spot someone she recognize.

"Maki-chan? What are you doing here? The lunch won't be serve till another hour." The North princess taking her seat right beside the south lady. She tilts her head, prying anything that the girl has been reading.

"Oh, Kotori. Nothing much, I've see yesterday went well." The redhead wave the page which containing the report about the collaboration between the North and East. She folds the newspaper and place it on the table. She carefully turn her head, facing the other mistress.

"What about the other matter?" Knowing well what Maki talks about, the young heiress pout angrily.

"Not so well! First thing I opened my eyes I was in my own bed. She manage to escape from my clutches." The girl whines.

_'Somehow I'm not surprise by that.'_ The south lady inwardly sighs.

"And here I thought I was finally able to talk to Umi-chan but she ran away." Kotori rest her forehead on the table.

"You'll get another chance." The redhead princess rubs the latter back soothingly.

"Okay...Next time she won't escape. So, where is Nico-chan?" The amber eyes swear she see a twitch on Maki eyebrow when she mentioning the name.

"Who cares." Maki mumbles, crossing her arms. She glance at the other girl, showing her scowling face. Even though, the north princess know not to push further but she tries her luck with her big round amber. The two of them keep staring before the red-haired lady sighs.

"They are in the kitchen. Something to do with cooking contest." Maki averts the amethyst from the latter.

"Cooking contest!? Nico-chan?!" The excitement can be heard from the grey-haired princess.

"Tch. I told her to take care herself better. She still had the burn." The younger girl complains.

"Is that why you mad, Maki-chan? But you're good in medical treatment, I'm sure Nico-chan heals just fine." The latter tries to encourage the heiress.

"I guess so...I did said I'm going to take care of her if she doesn't know how to do it herself." New blush appear on the south lady as she mumbles the word. Then, none of them speak. It was very disturbing atmosphere between them. Wanting to end the stifling air, Maki break the silence.

"It's very peaceful here unlike those thirteen years ago."

"Umm, all thanks to the truce Okasan and Toujou-jiichan had made. We all know North and West are enemy since their were born." Kotori said with her cheerful voice.

"What was it that they always fighting about?" Curious about the past, the redhead become serious.

"I think okasan used to say it's about the land. Did you notice the North and West territory has more land compare to others." Since history isn't her good subject, Kotori face twist as she tries to remember what she used to learn.

"Now, that you mention it, South is lot smaller than you guys. If I remember, it was the Bloodshed War which had triggered for the truce.

"Yes, okasan been very busy at that time. Many of our people badly injured and the West also lost half of their army during the war. And at that time, the West King had fell ill. So, Toujou-jiichan had took the throne since he's the elder one." The greynette mistress turns her solemn face to happy after mentioning the new West King.

"It was Nozomi father who had halted all the attack on the North."

"And bravely meet with okasan to made peaceful for each kingdom by walking into the North Kingdom alone." The older girl completing the latter sentence. By then, a loud bang startle both of the princess.

"Arriving our main course for today!" Standing at the door are two girl with serving in each of their hand.

"Main course? We haven't even eat the starter yet." The rich red heiress shouts.

"Who cares. This is important. We want you to test which one is better." Nico and Honoka present their dish in front of the South princess.

"Eh? What about me?" Kotori whines, puffing her face.

"Sorry, Kotori-chan you can have your lunch afterward. We had discussed that we want the competition to be fair and square, nya!" The catlike girl appears out of nowhere.

"Yeah, you might prefer Honoka's since you've been eating her food all the time." Nico starts while Honoka ends the small girl sentence.

"That's why we pick Maki-chan. She never taste Nico food and might barely remember how my food taste."

"That's really reasonable. I'm surprise either of you can think of that." Maki amaze, not forgetting some sarcastic remark.

"I take that as a compliment, thank you. Now, what are you waiting for? Come on, take the first bite." The petite girl urges her master. The amethyst turn to left and right. Then, she raise both her hand and pull the lid of both serving at the same time.

"It's...a curry." The redhead inspect both of the food by smelling.

"It's burnt." Flatly said.

"Ergh...quit complaining, just try it." Nico impatiently snatch the spoon and dug it into the redhead.

"HMhmm...This is actually good." Maki takes quite few of spoonful of the curry.

"Aahah! You heard her. Mine is the best." The petite girl get very cocky, puffing her chest outward.

"Don't be so sure yet, Nico-chan. She's going to try mine." Honoka holds her breath as the heiress lifts another clean spoon and scope up the other curry. She quietly takes another spoonful of Honoka's curry before settle the spoon down, near the bowl. She deliberately drape the clean napkin over her mouth, slowly.

"I had taste both of the competitors cook. Both food had display an incredible taste and flavor. The winner for this competition is..." The sudden announcement from the Southern princess leave all the people in the room nervous.

"Nobody. I commence this cooking contest is a tie." The room still feel eerie from the anticipation. But it never last long.

"A TIE!? How can it be a tie?!" The raven-haired girl complains to her mistress.

"Yeah! What we're going to do with this money if we got no winner, nya!" The catlike girl shove the container filled with money to the heiress face.

"Aren't we going to give it back to their owner, Rin-chan?" The timid maid asks.

"Oh! That's right, nya! Hehehe..sorry Maki-chan." The coachlady chuckles while avoiding the redhead stern stare.

"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. You still have a long way to go, Nico-chan. We maybe at a same level this time, but next time I will be above you." The royal chef eagerly challenge the peasant again.

"Heh~I could be saying the same to you." They both shake their hand as a promise to compete again.

"WITH THAT, NICO-CHAN AND HONOKA-CHAN WENT SEPARATE WAY IN ORDER TO BECOME AMAZING CHEF. THEY WILL MEET AGAIN TO TAKE ON EACH OTHER. THE END." The orange-haired girl narrates as the young maid returns back all the money to the spectators.

"That could be good story, Rin." Nico pats the younger girl back.

"So, what you really think about our curry, princess?" The peasant continue asking the young heiress while showing hers usual smiling face.

"Honestly it is good. You should told us you can cook. We might camouflage you to be my chef instead of the spy. This should be more convincing." Maki complements the petite girl with a straight.

"Don't worry, princess. I will be cooking for you once I'm live in your castle later on." The small lady winks at the heiress, causing her to blush. When she about to stammer a response, her amethyst catch a new burnt on her new cook hand. Without hesitation, she grab Nico wrist.

"What is this? What the hell happened? I told you to take care yourself didn't I?" The princess scold the peasant.

"Relax, Maki-chan. We kinda left the curry a little bit longer on the fire and I just remove them with bare hand without thinking. Anyway, see, this is nothing." Unfortunately, Nico can't help but wince as she ball her burnt hand.

"Jeez, what people actually got themselves burnt to be burn again the next day. Come with me. I'll treat you." Maki drags her little spy out of the room.

"Maki-chan~Be gentle~" Nico whines echo all over the room.

"I'm hurt too..." Honoka mumbles quietly.

"Mhmmmm...These are good." Unbeknown to all, Kotori had dig in the curry left by Maki.

"Uwaa! Kotori-chan had eaten already, nya! Rin too would like to eat now, Kayo-chin." The royal coachwoman request granted by her friend as the maids push the trolleys in. Both of Nico's and Honoka's curry are being served. Anyone can take whoever curry they want as many times they wish.

Wiping her supple lip with a clean napkin, her amber scan the whole room. She intensely looking into the crowds at the corner, they are like a pack of hungry wolves attacking their prey. In this case, it's curry. Not finding what she's looking for, she stands to take her leave only to notice that Hanayo is taking a small trolley out of the room.

"Wait, Hanayo-chan!" The princess high-pitch voice startle the said girl. With the same intensity, the maid scream back.

"Y-YES?!"

"Where are you going with those?" The north lady refers the trays on the trolley. Everyone in the room has not pay attention to the two, they continue to hover around the food including Rin and Honoka.

"Oh! These is for Umi-chan. She asked to send her the lunch to her room since she's going straight to her work afterward." Only by hearing the soldier name, Kotori feels more alive.

"Really?! Can't I send it to her?" Excitedly, the heiress is jumping circularly around the maid.

"Ehhh?! B-But..." Not hearing the protest, the grey-haired princess take hold of the handle and push it out of the room.

"W-Waaa! Kotori-chan~"

**Umi's bedroom,**

"Gloves, set. Boots on the floor, set. Bow at the corner, set. Cape on the shoulder, set. Now, I have to wait for my lunch." The blue-haired archer spreads herself as she land on the soft mattress. She had finished preparing the attire for this afternoon work. She has to escort a nobleman visiting a small village at the end of the kingdom.

Lost in thoughts for a moment, the bluenette snaps out of it after hearing a click from the door. Still laying on the bed, she turns her body to a side.

"Ah! Thanks, Hana...KOTORI?!" Seeing it isn't the petite maid, Umi scurrying off the bed. Composing herself, the blush on her face still not subdue.

"W-What are you doing here, Kotori-sama?" She speaks softly, afraid the princess still mad at her. Ignoring the title, the princess keep on pushing the trolley until it stop in front of the archer. The royal amber never takes off her sight of the bluenette. Kotori suppress herself from smiling when she sees the latter is fidgeting from the start she entered the room. She had sat on the bed a moment ago.

"Here, your lunch is been served." The aroma of the curry slip into Umi nostrils as her mistress lift off the lid.

"Umm...smell nice." The soldier unconsciously smile, making the princess heart flutters from the sight she had been missing. She soon joins the archer. Seeing the heiress smile, Umi sighs in relieve.

_'Good. It seems Kotori had calmed down.'_

"Umi-chan, say aahh!" Without realizing, the grey-haired maiden has straddle the protector. She holds the spoon an inch away from the bluenette lip.

"Aahh! Kotori-sama! What are you doing!? This is inappropriate!" Umi leans back, her elbow has supporting her from laying completely on the mattress.

"Umi-chan~You don't have an obligation to refuse me. After all, you still haven't been forgiven." The threat of the princess send chills to the archer spine, not to mention covered with her sweet smile.

_'Nope. This is far from calm down.' _Reluctantly, the bluenette close her distance and takes the filled spoon into her mouth. Satisfy with the girl obedient, the north lady keep on feeding her bodyguard.

"Hm? Wait, this one taste a little different from earlier." At a very that moment, Umi notice there had been two plate on the trolley.

"Expected from Umi-chan, you realize it very quickly. Honoka-chan and Nico-chan had a cooking contest this morning. The curry had became today lunch as they really make two big pot of these." Kotori excitedly tell, pointing which one the curry belongs to.

"Nico's curry had a little bit sweet taste in it. Probably she's doing that because her siblings. Nevertheless, it quite delicious. I might covered her up as Maki's chef if I know this beforehand." Taking another scope of the curry into her throat. Hearing that, Kotori settle down the spoon beside the plate.

"What a coincidence. Maki-chan too said the same thing. You two are really a perfect match." The princess says with a melancholic tone, she hurrily stand, wanting to escape from the room before her dam in her eyes break. Surprisingly, she can't even takes the first step as she has been pulled back by the bluenette. Sitting on the archer lap with her back in front of the protector, she wait for Umi to speak.

"Thinking about the same thing doesn't mean we are perfectly match. It means we have a great mind. Hora, know the words a great mind think alike?" Kotori flushes as her ear been tickles by Umi hot whisper. She unable to do anything except lean back onto the warm arms when the latter hug her from behind.

"Besides, I already know who my match is." Kotori breath hitch, hearing this. Her heart are thumping wildly while she waiting for the next word. But it never come.

"Umi-chan?" The princess tries to turn her head, however the weight lighten as she been lift off and settle to the side. When she manage to turn, this time the amber meet with the back of the archer. Umi is putting on her cobalt blue boot.

"Who is it?" Kotori barely control herself from desperation.

"It's a secret, Kotori-sama." The bluenette reach out the cape and glove on the dresser.

"At least tell me what this person like. What makes you think this is the one?" Manage to compose herself, Kotori use her authority voice. She could hear the latter heavy sigh before taking the deep breath.

"Asking me that so suddenly...Well there isn't much time for a long talk. I make it short though I do have a lot thing to say." The archer pause, taking her bow from the corner.

"That person really different from me. She's kind to everyone. Never doubting anyone. That's why she's so defenseless." Kotori hang on to every words spoken by the protector. She can't help but feels conscious that Umi is referring to her. She isn't stupid, neither is Umi. There always signs when they are together. But hearing she was defenseless, she starts to doubting herself from being way ahead of herself.

"But that's okay...No. More than okay. It was terrific. Because I will become her defense. Her armor. Her shield. My whole existence is to complete her." Umi confession seems to struck Kotori heart very deeply. She is happy. No word can't describe how she feels right now. She had been waiting for this moment, even in her dream she longs for those three word.

"That's all I can say." But her Umi always has her own way to ruin it. Lacking of a better word, the greynette wants to throw tantrums but hold herself and start thinking.

"How long do I have to wait?" The words easily come out of the mistress mouth, especially when they are not facing each other. Kotori never thought what makes Umi holds herself for too long. She wants to give the latter time and for her own reassurance that she is the one.

"Could you please wait a little bit longer?" The bluenette quickly open the door to escape.

"Wait, Umi-chan!" The soldier stops. She only need one last step to entirely out of the room.

"About the rumour, don't worry. I forgave you." The north lady smiles, noticing the archer silently nod before the door is close, leaving her alone.

Meanwhile, behind the door, the gallant royal protector covers her red face by her palm. The beating of her heartbeat hasn't slowing yet.

_'I just literally confess to her, right?'_

**Observatory Space,**

"Geh...That Maki...is a demon." Nico had been wandering around the castle after she received the wrath and treatment of the south lady at the same time. Looking at her new clean bandage on her hand, she grins like an idiot. Every step of the petite girl give a quiet thumping sound.. Apparently, she appears to be climbing the stairs. On top of the stair, there's a door leading toward the observatory space.

'CLICK!'

The peasant swings the door open. The wind dance in the air, swaying her twintails. The observatory is the highest place in the castle. It is in open space where you can see the town, nature and stars at night. A good place to find peace.

"Nicochi?" The ruby look upward, meeting a pair of jade.

"Nozomi, what are you doing here? No, that's not important. Where have you been? I haven't see you...until now." The raven-haired girl approach the other girl, leaning against the railer.

"Ara~Did Nicochi miss me?" The purplehead wink, giving the girl a flying kiss. The latter could only rolls her eyeball, seeing the casual action.

_'I did really missed you. But now, I'm just worry.'_ Nico pained expression do not go unnoticed by the maid. Somehow, it prick her heart too. She close her eyes.

"You know, Nicochi, I think I tries to remember something from the past just like you said. And now I had feeling I used to be here." That statement make the peasant gives her full attention to her cousin.

"When I sat on Atlas earlier, when I saw these castle sceneries, when I felt the warm of Ayase-san..." The purplenette barely whisper the last words. Her turquoise orb fix on the sight of towns and village down there.

"Are you seriously going to talk about your date with Eri?! Nevertheless, you guys had been all over each other from the start and you still has no progress?! You guys are hopeless.' Nico monologue with herself. Unaware the latter had stop talking and now been observing her.

"Nee, Nicochi, you're not really a spy, right?" Nozomi drops a bombshell on the poor peasant.

"Wha-Wha-What are you trying to say? Of course, I'm a spy." The revelation stunt Nico to even form a better refute.

"Do spy really reveal their identity to easily?" The jade pierce through the uncertain ruby. The lip of the maid has curl up.

"Ergh...I..." Stiffen under the scrutinize gaze. Nico racks all over her brain to come up with an idea. Eventually she sighs before she look at her cousin with serious expression.

"Even if I'm not, what are you going to do about it?" The petite girl grins, crossing her arm, challenging the other girl.

"Nothing~" Nozomi turns, viewing the scenery instead. Nico raise her eyebrow, then approach the girl carefully.

"Because you're Maki-chan friend. I won't do anything." Waiting the peasant to close the distance, the south maid look up at the sky.

"Maki-chan has been happy lately, or rather...even more since you appeared." The purplenette continues, meeting her green orb to the red ones. The latter blush a bit.

"Ehem. Well...you could say we are acquaintance." The jade stare intensely.

"Fine! Close friend."

"Maki-chan said you're going to stay with us after we're back to the South Kingdom. Along with your family that is." Unable to fight, Nico just nods.

"Yes, it appear our living style was disapprove by your princess. But I'm not going to be freeloader there. So, please give me some work." The raven-haired bow.

"Oh, you just admit you're a normal person." Nozomi smiles amusingly.

"What!? You just testing me earlier!?" Nico grunts, there going to be a hell of work to explain to Umi and Maki. The demons.

"Don't worry. I don't know the reason but I won't tell anyone. Bye~" Skipping toward the door, the maid winks before disappear behind the door.

"WAIT!"

**Underground, somewhere,**

Far, far away from North Kingdom. A miles deep down in ground, there lay a secret base. A man clads in black armour going down the stairs. His metal boot clang in every steps he made. At the bottom of stair, two guards is chatting while guarding the door behind them.

"Oh, General!" Both of the guards quickly stand properly.

"Gentlemen." The man fox eyes stare at the guards, making them weak on their knees. One of the guards hurrily unlock the door...that is after a several times trying to put the key into the keyhole because of his shaking hand.

'CLICK!'

"Better do a good job next time." The man enters the room without looking at the fidgeting guards. The door is close back, leaving the man in a dim room.

At the end of the room, there is someone sitting on the throne. In his hand is a glass of wine. The light from the oil lamp shine dimly around the room but still the figure is recognizable. The man with the black armour approach the throne then kneels.

"Sire, did you summoned me?" The man look at the ground.

"I suppose I had. What's the condition above?" The man on the throne swirls the glass before taking a sip.

"The condition remain unchanged. The soldier from the North still guarding this place. However, I heard the town people are ready to sign the contract. They might come in two or three days."

"Those Northern are sure imprudent. This kingdom supposed to be mine. Never thought they can easily take over this kingdom right after the incident. I made miscalculation on that part for this plan." Before the man on the throne continue, the door is banging widely.

"Your sire! I find very unexpected thing this morning." Now, a man with a messy hair with his staff on the shoulder enter the room.

"Watch it, Masa. You're going to pay for that with your own money." The tall man with purplish hair stands, putting the wine beside the throne.

"As your advisor, I advice you to pay me first from this extraordinary discovery." The man walks, supporting by his staff toward the purplehead.

"What's so much interesting about the newspaper?" Masa hands the man this morning news. By now, the armour man has stands and follow the other to see the news.

"Woah! Since when you're here, Zankuro?" The advisor startles by the sudden appearance of the general. Despite that, the latter ignore the question, instead he continue to look at the news. His black eyes widen.

"This really unexpected. I thought she dead already. This is really going to blow off my plans." The purplehead man laughs maniacally.

"Guess I have to get rid of her before anyone suspects anything." The tall man soon approach seems to be a small prison at the other side of the room. Behind the bar, there are two limply human. Both hands and legs are chain together.

"Looky, looky, who tries to ruin my plan." The man wave the news in front of the prisoners. One of them, a man, lifts his bruise face and barely open one of his eyes to see.

"You know what I'm going to do, right?" The purplenette grins. Pointing at the picture on the newspaper.

"No...Don't hurt her..." The man weakly reply.

"We'll see about that."

**TO BE CONTINUE...**


End file.
